PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team swept SUNY New Paltz in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader on Friday at Chip Cummings Field. The Cardinals won game one, 5-4 in 11 innings, and game two, 4-3, on Senior Day.
 
Plattsburgh State improved to 6-12 (5-9 SUNYAC) and New Paltz fell to 9-11 (5-11 SUNYAC) on the season. The Cardinals are in third place in the SUNYAC East Division – one game behind SUNY Oneonta (11-9, 6-8 SUNYAC).

As part of Senior Day, the Cardinals honored six seniors prior to the game: shortstop Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches/Center Moriches), right-handed pitcher Matt Triola (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs), center fielder Erik Matz (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue-Medford), right-handed pitcher Chase Blazak (Antrim, N.H./Bishop Guertin), switch pitcher David Ghiloni (Warwick, N.Y./Warwick Valley) and right-handed pitcher Carson McKinley (Greenwich, N.Y./Greenwich Central).

Bryant, who had four hits and three walks on the day, ranks ninth in program history with 127 career hits and third with 71 career walks. Bryant's 21 walks this season are tied for the seventh most in a single season in Cardinal history.      
 
Game 1: Plattsburgh State 5, SUNY New Paltz 4 (11 Inn.)

Plattsburgh State received strong pitching and timely hitting to defeat SUNY New Paltz, 5-4 in 11 innings, in game one.

New Paltz took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI single through the left side of the infield off the bat of designated hitter Jesse Keshner in the top of the first inning. Triola, who started on the mound for Plattsburgh State, worked out of further trouble.

Plattsburgh State tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI double to right field off the bat of senior first baseman Steve Messerschmitt (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Carmel).

The Cardinals would take a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport).

The score remained 2-1 until the eighth inning as Triola and New Paltz's Anthony Amoroso traded scoreless frames for much of the game. Triola, who pitched better than his final line score shows, ran into trouble in the eighth inning as his pitch count rose well over 100 for the game. After the first three batters reached base for the Hawks in the eighth inning with the third batter recording an RBI single to make the score 2-2, Triola was relieved on the mound by Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport), who started the game at second base. New Paltz would score two more runs in the inning to put the Cardinals down, 4-2.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Cardinals responded with an RBI single to left field by Messerschmitt. With two outs in the inning, Amoroso was relieved by Billy Moeller, who worked out of the inning with the Cardinals trailing, 4-3.

After Veit tossed a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning, Plattsburgh State would tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom half of the ninth and force extra innings. Sophomore left fielder Cody Peryea (Altona, N.Y./Northern Adirondack) led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior catcher Jacob Hutton (Albany, N.Y./Colonie Central) and came around to score on an RBI single to left-center field by Matz.

After neither team scored in the 10th inning, New Paltz got a one-out triple to right-center field by center fielder Ryan Geraghty in the top of the 11th inning, but Veit got the next two batters to foul out and strike out to end the inning.

Plattsburgh State scored the game-winning run for a 5-4 walk-off victory in the bottom of the 11th inning. After loading the bases on a single, error and intentional walk, Hutton came through with an opposite-field single that scored junior right-fielder Aaron Roman (Pelham, N.Y./Pelham Memorial) from third base.

Veit, who limited the Hawks to two hits with four strikeouts and no walks over four innings pitched, improved to 2-0 on the season. Triola, who did not factor into the decision, held New Paltz to four runs on eight hits with three walks and no strikeouts in a seven-inning 124-pitch effort.
              
Moeller, who allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts and one walk over 2 1/3 innings, fell to 2-2 on the season. Amoroso earned a no-decision as he allowed three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and five walks over 7 2/3 innings.

Hits were even at 10-10.   

Game 2: Plattsburgh State 4, SUNY New Paltz 3

Plattsburgh State used a four-run sixth inning to overcome a three-run deficit and complete a 4-3 come-from-behind victory over SUNY New Paltz in game two.

SUNY New Paltz scored three runs in the first inning off Blazak, who started on the mound for Plattsburgh State. Shortstop Nick Harvey recorded an RBI double down the right-field line, third baseman Michael Boccarossa drove in a run with a single to center field and first baseman John McCarrick tallied an RBI single through the right side of the infield. Junior right-hander Peter Gregory relieved Blazak with two outs and worked out of further trouble to keep the score at 3-0.

Gregory (2-0) was outstanding in relief as he pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings in relief – scattering four hits with two strikeouts and no walks. His performance kept the Cardinals within striking distance and they broke through for four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Peryea got the Cardinals on the scoreboard with an RBI groundout to first base that made the score 3-1. With two outs, Hutton tallied an RBI single to right field that scored Messerschmitt from third base to make the score 3-2. After Matz walked to load the bases with two outs, Bryant laced the eighth pitch of his at-bat to right field to chase home Veit and Hutton to give Plattsburgh State a 4-3 lead.

Veit, who started the game at second base, relieved Gregory in the seventh inning and worked around a one-out error to seal the 4-3 victory and earn his second save of the season for the Cardinals. Veit recorded one strikeout and did not walk a batter.

Bobby Ramsey, who started on the mound for New Paltz, did not factor into the decision. Ramsey was charged with two runs on four hits with four walks and seven strikeouts over five innings pitched. Matthew Polestino (1-1), the Hawks third pitcher of the day, was the pitcher of record for New Paltz. Polestino allowed one run on two hits with two walks and no strikeouts in 1/3 of an inning pitched.