CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team fell in their series opener against the Cortland Red Dragons, 6-3, as the two met in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) clash. The Red Dragons managed just six hits but took advantage of two errors to take home the Friday afternoon win.

Kolby Mordecki (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) tossed seven innings and allowed just five hits and two earned runs while taking the loss. Joey Di Rocco (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown South) doubled in two runs for Plattsburgh, extending his hit streak to 11 games, while Aidan Diltz (Monroe, N.Y./Monroe-Woodbury) and Daniel Novelli (Maracy, Venezuela/Cypress Creek (Fla.)) each had two hits and scored a run.

Plattsburgh State falls to 11-5 (2-2 SUNYAC) with the loss while Cortland improves to 10-8-1 (4-0 SUNYAC). The two will meet for doubleheader action tomorrow, Saturday, March 30 at noon to conclude their conference series.

The Red Dragons struck first in the game, as the team took advantage of an error to start the game and brought the runner with a sacrifice fly. Cortland added two more runs in the second, with one coming in after an error prolonged the inning, taking a 3-0 over Plattsburgh.

In the fourth, the Red Dragons added to their lead with two more runs, as Mat Bruno drove in two runs with a single through the left side, giving Cortland a 5-0 lead.

Plattsburgh State threatened in the fifth and sixth but was unable to score in prime opportunities. The sixth saw the Cardinals load the bases with no outs, but a line drive up the middle was caught by the pitcher who turned and fired to third to double off the lead runner, effectively erasing the rally. A strikeout following the play got Cortland out of the jam, as they held the 5-0 lead.

After an insurance run for the Red Dragons in the eighth, Plattsburgh finally got the runs and rally they had been looking for all game in the ninth. A leadoff single from Conner Gonzalski (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) and a Diltz single put the first two guys of the inning on. After a pitching change and strikeout, the Red Dragons made another change on the mound, to which Novelli responded with a lined shot to left, loading the bases with just one out. Di Rocco then laced the second pitch of his at-bat down the left field line, easily scoring two runs, getting the Cards on the board and putting the tying run on deck. After an RBI groundout from Ben Catrambone (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) the Cortland reliever induced a game-ending groundout, not allowing the tying run to get an at-bat and giving the Red Dragons a 6-3 win.

Devin Georgetti earned his first win of the season and his first at Cortland with seven innings of work, allowing no runs, walking one, and striking out three. Tommy Lynch finished the game, recording the final two outs on the mound, while Bruno led the offensive effort with two RBI.