MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - The Plattsburgh State Baseball team won a pair of low-scoring affairs on Thursday, falling 2-1 and winning against Salem State in non-conference play. While the team was able to pull out the win in game two, the Cards struggled to hit with runners on, leaving 19 runners on base over both games. 

Each of Plattsburgh's arms threw well on the day, as they limited the Salem offense to just five runs over 14 innings, striking out 11 batters in that span. Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) was 2-3 over two games but reached base in six of his seven plate appearances on the day, scoring a run and adding a double. Alex Kornblau(Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane) was excellent in game two offensively, finishing the day 3-8 with two doubles, as he elevated his team-leading slugging percentage to .645 with two more extra-base hits. 

Plattsburgh moves to 3-6 with the split today and will play Worcester St. in a single nine-inning game tomorrow, March 17 at 3 p.m. Salem State moves to 2-4, as both of their wins have come over the Cards, as they will play Rutgers-Newark on March 17 at 3 p.m.

Game One: Salem State 2, Plattsburgh State 0

Kolby Mordecki (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./ Roy C. Ketcham) was strong on the mound in his start in game one, but Plattsburgh couldn't push any runs across to fall 2-0 in game one of the team's twin-bill and tag Mordecki with a loss. The sophomore right-hander logged 5.2 innings of work, striking out four batters while walking none and allowing just two earned runs. Logan Avin (Honolulu, Hawaii/Waterford (Conn.)) was strong in relief, recording a scoreless 1.1 innings of work while striking out one and allowing just one hit. 

Offensively, the team managed just three hits as Gonzalski, Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic), and Nick Cergol (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) each had singles in the loss. They had a good chance to score in the second inning as Gonzalski and Cergol singled to open the frame and put two batters on with no outs, but a caught stealing and two flyouts produced no runs for the Cards. The team put two runners on with a Cremin single and Gonzalski walk in the fourth, trailing by a run, but once again couldn't come up with the big hit and failed to score. 

For the Vikings, the team was able to score twice, first on a double play ball in the first inning, and next on an RBI double in the sixth. Three Salem State pitchers combined for the shutout, as their starter Jake Usenia went four scoreless for the win, Carl Beatrice threw two innings of no-hit ball, and Jake Boucher finished off the game for the save with a hitless and scoreless frame. Edward Field was 2-3 with a double and RBI for the Vikings as well. 

Game Two: Plattsburgh State 4, Salem State 3

Chris Santic (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) earned the win in game two, as the junior southpaw worked 4.1 innings striking out five while giving up just three unearned runs. He was followed by graduate student Sean Malamud (Staten Island, N.Y./Susan E. Wagner) who threw 2.2 innings of scoreless work, giving up just two hits and striking out one for the save. The Cardinals bats awoke in game two, as they were able to register 14 hits, but they were only able to score four runs, which was just enough for the win. The team had five doubles in the game, with Kornblau registering two, and Gonzalski, Cergol, and Mike Rasquin (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) each recording one. 

After going scoreless in the first game, Plattsburgh scored immediately, with Cremin singling home a run as the third batter of the game to put Plattsburgh up 1-0. The Cards then loaded the bases with no outs but failed to get anyone else home with back-to-back strikeouts and a pop-out to end the frame. The Vikings were able to respond instantly, however, singling home two runs within their first three batters of the game to take a 2-1 lead. 

The Cards soon knotted the game up at two runs apiece, as Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport) singled home Gonzalski and promptly stole second to put runners on second and third with no outs. However, Plattsburgh was once again unable to take full advantage of their runners on base, as they flew out, fouled out, and grounded out to end the inning. The team was able to grab the lead in the top of the fourth as Kornblau started the rally with a double and was moved to third on a Cremin single. After Gonzalski loaded the bases with a walk, Cergol was able to drive in the go-ahead run with a fielder's choice, as the Vikings opted to take the out at second.

Salem State had a response in the bottom half of the fourth once more, as a passed ball scored an unearned run to tie the game up at three runs apiece. Plattsburgh got the lead for good on an RBI single by Kornblau that scored the fourth run of the game for the Cards.

After the Vikings put two runners on in the bottom of the fifth with an out, Malamud entered and worked out of the jam to keep the Cardinals ahead. He worked a scoreless sixth and then worked around a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh to strand the tying run at short and give Plattsburgh the 4-3 win.