UTICA, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader at SUNY Poly on Tuesday afternoon. The Cardinals cruised to a 14-0 win in game one, before dropping game two, 12-8. Both contests were seven innings.
 
With the doubleheader split, Plattsburgh State is now 3-7 on the season and SUNY Poly is 2-5.

Game 1: Plattsburgh State 14, SUNY Poly 0

Four Cardinals drove in at least three runs each as Plattsburgh State cruised to a 14-0 win over SUNY Poly in game one.
 
Plattsburgh State's offense was led by senior designated hitter Steve Messerschmitt (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Carmel), first-year first baseman Zachary Stone (New Spring Hill, Fla./Weeki Wachee), sophomore third baseman Christian Ott (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston), sophomore second baseman Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) and senior shortstop Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y./Center Moriches).
 
Messerschmitt went 2-for-4 at the plate with two doubles, four RBI and one run scored. Stone went 2-for-2 with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored. Ott was 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, three RBI and two runs scored. Gonzalski had two hits in three at-bats with three RBI and one run scored. Bryant went 1-for-3 with two walks, one RBI and two runs scored for the Cardinals.
 
After neither team scored in the first inning, the Cardinal offense erupted for seven runs in the second inning to go in front, 7-0. Ott drove in a run with a double, and Gonzalski and Messerschmitt each garnered a two-run double. Bryant also walked with the bases loaded to force in a run and Stone garnered a sacrifice fly.
 
Plattsburgh State added on five more runs in the fourth inning to expand its lead to 12-0. Messerschmitt hit a two-run double to right field, Stone added a sacrifice fly, and Ott and Gonzalski each tallied an RBI single.
 
The score remained the same until the seventh inning when Stone recorded an RBI single to left field and Ott drove in a run on a triple to right field to make the final score 14-0.
 
The offense was more than enough for sophomore right-hander Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport), junior right-hander Pierce Steinberg (Mahopac, N.Y./The Harvey School), sophomore left-hander Hayden Ives (Ogdensburg, N.Y./Ogdensburg Free Academy) and first-year right-hander Tyler Kohn (Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) who combined for the shutout.
 
Veit (1-0), who started on the mound and earned his first win in a Cardinal uniform, limited the Wildcats to two hits over four innings pitched. Veit tallied one walk and three strikeouts. Steinberg, Ives and Kohn each tossed a scoreless inning in relief.
 
Right-hander Matthew Gamache (0-1), who started on the mound for the Wildcats, was charged with seven runs (four earned) on four hits over two innings pitched. He walked three batters and struck out one.
 
Game 2: SUNY Poly 12, Plattsburgh State 8
 
Plattsburgh State scored the final five runs of the game, but was unable to overcome a 12-3 deficit and dropped game two, 12-8.
 
Stone continued his hot hitting for the Cardinals as he gave Plattsburgh State a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly to right field in the top of the first inning.
 
The Wildcats responded with two runs in the bottom of the first inning on a triple by left fielder Alexander Bonnacci and an RBI groundout by first baseman Kyle Liddy to put Plattsburgh State down, 2-1.
 
The Cardinals answered with two runs in the top of the second inning to take a 3-2 lead. Veit, the right fielder in game two, drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center field and first-year catcher Angel Espinal (New York, N.Y./East Side Community) tallied an RBI single to left-center field.
 
However, Plattsburgh State would not lead again as SUNY Poly retook the lead with five runs in the bottom of the second inning to make the score 7-3. The Wildcats capitalized on Plattsburgh State defensive miscues and used key hits, including an RBI triple by Liddy and a two-run single by right fielder Paul Barber, to build their lead.
 
SUNY Poly added on two more runs in the third inning to make the score 9-3. The Wildcats scored a run on an error and catcher Luke Carpenter drove in a run with a single to center field.
 
The Wildcats would then extend their lead to 12-3 with three runs in the fifth inning. The runs scored on a passed ball, a wild pitch and single by Liddy.     
 
The Cardinals fought back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 12-6. Veit drove in his second run of the game with a sacrifice fly to right field and junior catcher Jacob Hutton (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central) laced a two-run double to left field.
 
Plattsburgh State tallied two more runs in the top of the seventh inning on an RBI single by Ott and an error, but were unable to complete the comeback and fell, 12-8, in game two.
 
Junior right-hander Lucas Rodriguez (Middletown, N.Y./Middletown), who started for Plattsburgh State, was the losing pitcher. Rodriguez (0-3) allowed six runs (three earned) on four hits in 1 2/3 innings. He recorded one walk and did not strike out a batter.
 
Carter Romanksy (1-0) was the winning pitcher for SUNY Poly. Romansky allowed three runs on two hits over four innings pitched. He struck out three batters and walked four.