ONEONTA, N.Y. – Plattsburgh State came up short in a doubleheader against SUNY Oneonta on Tuesday afternoon at Red Dragon Baseball Field. The Cardinals lost game one, 11-2, and game two, 5-4.  

Plattsburgh State is now 0-4 (0-2 SUNYAC) on the season and Oneonta is 7-1 (2-0 SUNYAC).

Game 1: SUNY Oneonta 11, Plattsburgh State 2

Plattsburgh State baseball was unable to overcome an early deficit and fell to SUNY Oneonta, 11-2, in game one.

Oneonta scored two runs each in the first and second innings, six runs in the third, and one run in the seventh to go in front, 11-0, before Plattsburgh State tallied two runs in the eighth inning to make the final score 11-2 in favor of the Red Dragons.

The Cardinals had an early chance when they put runners on second base and third base in the first inning, but they failed to score. Senior shortstop Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches/Center Moriches) walked, stole second and advanced to third base on a fly out to right field by sophomore second baseman Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport). Junior center fielder Aaron Roman (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) then walked and advanced to second base on a groundout off the bat of senior first baseman Steve Messerschmitt (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Carmel). With two outs, sophomore third baseman Christian Ott (Kingston, N.Y./Kingston) lined out to shortstop to end the Cardinal scoring threat. The Cardinals also put runners on second and third base with one out in the fourth inning, but failed to score.

Plattsburgh State got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning when Ott hit his first career home run – a two-run homer to left field – that scored first-year pinch runner Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane).

Left fielder Liam Kaseta led a Red Dragon offense that tallied 15 hits, including eight extra-base hits. Kaseta went 2-for-3 at the plate with two home runs, including a grand slam in the third inning, a walk and five RBI.  
 
Junior right-hander Lucas Rodriguez (Middletown, N.Y./Middletown), who was the pitcher of record for Plattsburgh State, is now 0-2 on the season. Rodriguez allowed seven runs (six earned) on eights hits over 2 1/3 innings. He recorded one strikeout and one walk.

The Cardinals' third pitcher of the game, first-year left-hander Chris Santic (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland), held Oneonta to one run on two hits over five innings in relief. Santic struck out four and walked one.  

Sean Liquori (2-0) earned the win for Oneonta. Liquori started on the mound and tossed five shut-out innings, limiting the Cardinals to two hits. He walked four batters and struck out one.

Bryant reached base four times in the game on three walks and one hit.

Plattsburgh State tallied seven hits in the game.
 
Game 2: SUNY Oneonta 5, Plattsburgh State 4

Plattsburgh State rallied late, but fell short in a 5-4 loss to SUNY Oneonta in game two.

Oneonta struck first with three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead over Plattsburgh State on an RBI double by third baseman Jake Barrett, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Kaseta and an RBI single by right fielder Michael Sabatine.  

Plattsburgh State struck back with a single run in the top of the third inning. Messerschmitt reached on an error by the second baseman and sophomore left fielder Kaden Kowalowski (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) scored on the play to make the score 3-1.

Senior right-handed starting pitcher Chase Blazak (Antrim, N.H./Bishop Guertin) bounced back after allowing three early runs to keep the score at 3-1.

The Cardinals had an opportunity to pull closer when they put two runners on base and chased Oneonta's right-handed starting pitcher Matthew Petrosi from the game in the top of the fifth inning, but were unable to score as left-handed pitcher Michael Losak quelled the Cardinal rally.

Blazak, who is now 0-1 on the season, was removed from the game in the bottom of the fifth inning after allowing the first two batters to reach base. Senior right-hander Matt Triola (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) came into the game in relief and both inherited runners would score as the Red Dragons increased their lead to 5-1. Blazak was charged with five runs (four earned) on seven hits over four innings pitched. He struck out three and walked two.

Triola, who pitched two innings and was not charged with a run, kept Plattsburgh State in the game.

In the seventh and final inning, Plattsburgh State would score three runs to make the score 5-4. Kowalowski scored on a single by Ott, and Ott and Bryant would later score on an error. The Cardinals had the tying run on third and a runner on first with two outs, but the runner from third was caught stealing (part of a double steal attempt) to end the game.   

Losak was credited with the save for Oneonta.

Hits were 8-4 in favor of Oneonta.