OSWEGO, N.Y. - The Plattsburgh State baseball team split a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader with Oswego State on Saturday, defeating the Lakers for the first time in nearly nine years. Chris Santic (Stony Point, N.Y./North Rockland) led the game one charge, throwing over seven innings of work without allowing an earned run against the Oswego offense to pick up the win. 

Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) finished the day with three hits, while Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) and Adam Wein (North Rockland, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep) each had two hits and an RBI on the day for Plattsburgh. 

Plattsburgh now stands at 11-16 (4-8 SUNYAC) and next plays St. Lawrence on the road at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25. Oswego State moves to 15-15 (8-4 SUNYAC) with the split and next hosts Clarkson for a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 25. 

Game One: Plattsburgh 5, Oswego 3

The Cardinals took game one of the day behind their southpaw Santic, as the junior continued his outstanding junior campaign by going 7.2 innings, giving up just one unearned run, and striking out five batters. With his outing on Saturday, Santic lowered his season ERA to 2.29 in 55 IP, a mark that ranks third in the conference. Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y./Bellport) finished the game on the mound, recording his second save of the year with an inning of work in the ninth. 

Gonzalski added two hits, driving in a run and scoring once, with Cremin also adding two base knocks and scoring once. Jack Defayette (Rotterdam, N.Y./Schalmont) drove in two runs with a double while Veit also doubled and drove in a run. 

Oswego jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, scoring a run on an errant throw from the Cardinal catcher, opening up the scoring on Saturday. Plattsburgh was able to get the run back in the third with an RBI single, the third straight single of that inning, off the bat of Gonzalski, as the senior outfielder singled to center to score Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane). 

The score remained tied at one over the next two and a half innings until the top of the sixth when the Plattsburgh offense came through against the Oswego bullpen with three runs. After two infield singles from Cremin and Gonzalski to start the frame, Defayette lined a ball to right center to score both runners, putting the Cards up 3-1. After a sac bunt, Veit followed with a double of his own, plating Defayette and giving Santic a three-run cushion on the mound. 

As Santic kept the Laker offense at bay, Plattsburgh picked up an important insurance run with an infield single from Nick Cergol (Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai) to score Wein, putting the Cards up 5-1 in the eighth. 

After a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth, Veit entered to work for his second save of the year. After allowing a single, Veit recorded two straight outs before a single from Tishawn Featherstone scored two runs and put the game-tying run at the plate. Facing Oswego's team leader in homers (7), Veit struck out Owen Parliment to end the game, giving Plattsburgh their first win over Oswego State since April 26, 2014. 

Lucas Citrola took the loss for Oswego on the mound while Featherstone had three hits and two RBI and Jelani Hamer had three hits, two runs, and three stolen bases. 

Game Two: Oswego 8, Plattsburgh 2 (6 innings)

In game two, the Laker bats awoke to score eight runs in a game shortened due to inclement weather. Plattsburgh managed just three hits and two runs in the game two losses as Cergol and Wein each drove in a run. 

The Lakers jumped out to an early 5-0 lead with a five-hit, five-run frame, taking advantage of two errors in the inning. Plattsburgh was able to respond with a run in the following half inning as Cergol drove home Wein with an RBI groundout. The Cards added another run in the fourth on a Wein RBI single up the middle, scoring Joey Di Rocco (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown South).

Trailing just 5-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth, Plattsburgh spotted Oswego three more runs, as the Lakers extended their lead with a three-hit, three-run frame, putting the deficit up to six runs. 

A scoreless fifth inning was followed by the start of the sixth inning, but inclement weather interfered, resulting in the game being called, as five full innings made it an official contest. 

Jonah Shearer earned his third win of the season for Oswego State, allowing zero earned runs through 5.1 innings, and striking out five. C.J. McCarthy finished a homer short of the cycle with three hits, three RBI, and two runs scored.