MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Plattsburgh State baseball team lost their fourth straight game on Tuesday night, falling to Salem State 6-2 in non-conference, spring trip action. The team let in three unearned runs and stranded 10 base runners, helping the Vikings to separate from the Cardinals and earn their first win of the season. 

Joey Di Rocco (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown South) was the lone Cardinal to put together a multi-hit effort, going 2-3 with a walk and run scored. Eric Agan (Burnt Hills, N.Y./Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) was solid in his first collegiate start, going over five innings and giving up three earned runs while striking out three. Logan Avin (Honolulu, Hawaii/Waterford (Conn.) also turned in a strong outing on the mound, going three strong innings, giving up just one hit and one unearned run. 

The Cardinals drop to 1-4 on the season and will next play a doubleheader versus Albertus Magnus tomorrow, March 15, beginning at 3 p.m. Salem State moves to 1-3 on the season and next plays Plattsburgh State on Thursday, March 16 at 12:30 p.m.

Salem State was the first team to strike, as an error and walk began a three-run second inning for the Vikings. Fortunately for the Cardinals, they were able to get three outs on the bases, throwing a runner out at home trying to score, and throwing out a runner trying to stretch a single into a double. Plattsburgh immediately responded in the bottom half of the inning, as back-to-back walks, followed by an infield single, loaded the bases for Ben Catrambone (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna). Catrambone grounded sharply to shortstop, who went to second for the easy first, but Catrambone beat out the throw to first to record the RBI as the run scored from third. Jack Defayette (Rotterdam, N.Y./Schalmont) followed with a deep fly ball to center field for an RBI sacrifice fly and bring the Cards within one run. 

The game remained 3-2 over the next three full frames, as Agan found his groove and received some solid defense in those innings. Opposite him, Kyle Banche was throwing very well for the Vikings in relief. Salem State added to their lead in the sixth, scoring three runs, with one being unearned, on two hits, one walk, and one error, moving the score to a 6-2 Viking advantage.

The four-run cushion was more than enough for the Viking's arms, as they were able to strand multiple runners for Plattsburgh in the seventh and eighth, and induced a game-ending double play ball to seal the victory. 

Banche earned the victory for Salem State with 3.2 innings of scoreless ball, while Agan was tagged with the loss for his 5.2 innings of work.