CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team's late rally was not enough as Cortland doubled them up in runs and the Cardinals fell 12-6 in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) opening tournament game. Andrew Veit (Yaphank, N.Y. / Bellport) led the offense today with two hits, including the first home run of his career. He also had two RBI and one run scored. 
 
Jack Defayette (Rotterdam, N.Y. / Schalmont) also had two hits, two RBI, and one run scored on the day as well. Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y. / Fox Lane) continued to add to his single-season home run record, blasting his eighth of the year as he went 1-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Kolby Mordecki (Poughkeepsie, N.Y. / Roy C. Ketcham) went 3.1 innings and allowed five earned runs, taking his fourth loss of the year. Matt Edwards (Commack, N.Y. / Commack) went 2.0 innings in relief pitching two scoreless innings. 
 
Before the start of the opening SUNYAC tournament game, Edwards was given the Elite 20 Award. An award modeled after the NCAA ELITE 90 program, which recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. 
 
The Cardinals move to 24-15 and will next play the loser of game two between the two-seeded New Paltz Hawks and the three-seeded Oswego State Lakers tomorrow, May 10 at 1 pm. The Red Dragons move to 29-10-1 and will next play the winner of game two between the two-seeded New Paltz Hawks and the three-seeded Oswego State Lakers tomorrow, May 10 at 10 am. 
 
Cortland struck first, scoring one in the second, two in the third, five in the fourth, and three in the fifth, taking an 11-0 lead after five innings of play. The Red Dragons took advantage of one error and two walks in the fourth as they cashed in with runners on base and scored their most runs in that inning. 
 
After going scoreless in the first five innings, Plattsburgh State's offense got on the board scoring two runs in the sixth. Veit opened the inning with a single up the middle. Mike Rasquin (Garden City, N.Y. / Garden City) put a ball in play and Cortland elected to get the lead runner out putting Rasquin on first on a fielder's choice. Kornblau then crushed his eighth homer of the year and finally got the Cardinals on the board and made the score 11-2.
 
Edwards came in relief in the bottom of the sixth and retired the first batter on a fly out. After giving up a double and a walk, Edwards retired the next two batters with help from his defense as Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y. / Kennedy Catholic) made a play in foul territory for an out and the next batter flew out to short keeping the score 11-2.
 
In the seventh, Plattsburgh tacked on four more runs, as Defayette doubled home Aidan Diltz (Monroe, N.Y. / Monroe-Woodbury) and moved Daniel Novelli (Maracy, Venezuela / Cypress Creek (Fla.)) to third to start the scoring. An Austin Caldwell (Clifton Park, N.Y. / Shenendehowa) groundout moved both runners as he picked up an RBI on a Novelli run and moved Defayette to third. Veit launched the first homer of his career to center field and scored Defayette which made the score 11-6. 
 
Edwards got two quick outs to start the seventh, but the next batter worked a walk and stole second to put himself in scoring position. After two walks loaded the bases, Edwards got out of the jam striking out the next batter and kept the score at 11-6. 
 
Cremin led off the eighth with a double but the next three batters were retired leaving him stranded and kept the score 11-6. Cortland added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning, making the score 12-6, and retired the Cardinals in order in the top of the ninth to end the game. 
 
Misla Luis took the win, going 6.0 innings and giving up two runs. Nick Marola was 2-3 with three RBI and two runs scored while Matt Bruno also had three RBI and scored a run.