PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team dropped both ends of a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) doubleheader on Friday to Cortland, falling 5-1 and 8-2.

Kolby Mordecki (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) gave the Cards a strong seven innings in game one but was outdueled by Cortland starter Luis Misla. Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) had two hits in the doubleheader and drove in two runs to lead the Cardinal offensive effort. Both Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y/Fox Lane) and Josh Foglia (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) had multi-hit games in game two, both scoring a run.

Plattsburgh State falls to 9-19 (1-12 SUNYAC) and Cortland improves to 22-11 (12-3 SUNYAC). The teams will meet tomorrow for the series finale, set for noon at Chip Cummings Field.

Game One: Cortland 5, Plattsburgh 1

While Mordecki was excellent for the Cardinals, tossing seven innings, allowing two earned runs, and striking out four, he was outdueled by Misla of Cortland, who struck out a program record 19 batters in a complete game win. The senior southpaw went 8.2 innings before giving up his first hit of the game to Cremin, who spoiled the no-hitter for the Misla.

Cremin broke up the no-hitter while both Jonathan Beale (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's Boys) and TJ Beninati (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) had hits as well. Beale scored the lone run of the game, while Beninati also reached on a walk. Liam Suozzo (Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington) tossed two innings of relief, striking out one while allowing one unearned run.

Misla's final line was for nine innings pitched, allowing just three hits and no earned runs while walking two and striking out 19. Zachary Kringdon was 2-5 with a double and three RBIs to lead the offensive effort, while Chris Bonacci drove in two runs and Talon Elkins was 2-5 with two runs scored.

Over the first two scoreless innings, Mordecki worked himself in and out of trouble while Misla retired the first nine batters he faced. The Red Dragons got two runs in the top of the third as two Plattsburgh errors began the frame, resulting in two unearned runs to score on a Kringdon two-run single.

In the fourth, Cortland added two more runs on a Bonacci two-run single and an infield hit, and a HBP loaded the bases after. Mordecki then struck out the Cortland cleanup hitter and Kringdon before inducing an inning-ending flyout to end the threat.

In the fifth, with Misla having retired the first 14 batters he faced, a strikeout and wild pitch allowed Beale to reach first base. A Beninati walk followed, and Michael Piccirillo (Glen Cove, N.Y./Glen Cove) followed with a hard-hit ball to short. A diving infielder for Cortland made the play and had an out at third, but an errant throw got away from the third baseman and allowed Beale to score and put Plattsburgh on the board, trailing 4-1.

Misla returned to form in the following innings, but Mordecki also pitched well in the sixth and seventh innings, finishing the day strongly and keeping Plattsburgh down just three runs. Suozzo tossed a scoreless eighth, and an error in the ninth came around to score to extend Cortland's lead to 5-1.

In the ninth, Misla started the frame by recording his 19^th strikeout and got a hard-hit ground ball to turn into an unassisted ground out at first, leaving him just one out away from a no-hitter. Cremin, however, took an 0-1 pitch up the middle and past an outstretched second baseman for the first hit of the day, ending Misla's bid. Beale followed with a single through the left side, and Beninati singled up the middle to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate. After a mound visit, Misla was able to record the final out of the game with a fly out to right, earning the complete game and SUNYAC win for Cortland.

Game Two: Cortland 8, Plattsburgh 2

Despite an early 2-0 lead for the Cards, the Red Dragons fought back and won game two, thanks in large part to a five-run fifth inning, to win game two and clinch the series victory over Plattsburgh.

Cremin drove in both runs for the Cardinals, while Foglia and Kornblau were each 2-4 with a run scored. Kaelen Clarkson (Barrie, Ontario/St. Joseph's Catholic) took the loss, allowing five earned runs in 4.1 innings, while Nick Goldberg (Commack, N.Y./Commack) was solid in relief, allowing two runs in 4.2 innings of work, striking out four.

Elkins was 3-5 for the Red Dragons in game two, driving in one run and scoring twice. Luke Schartner was 2-4 with a run scored, and Nolan Smith was 2-3 with three RBI coming off the bench. Matthew Nochowitz earned the win with five innings of work, allowing two and striking out seven, while Zack Zarilli tossed three scoreless innings of relief, and Lawrence Citrola closed the win out with a scoreless ninth.

Plattsburgh State struck first in game two, as an infield hit from Foglia and a single from Kornblau put runners on the corners for the Cards. After Kornblau stole second, a strikeout put two outs on the tally, but Cremin came through with a big two-out single up the middle to score two runs and put the Cardinals in front.

Clarkson made the two runs stand with three scoreless innings to start the game, but the Red Dragons tied the game in the fourth after a single and one-out HBP put two runners on for Cortland. A single followed and a run scored as an outfield error allowed the two lead runners to advance an extra base. Michell Kelly followed with a sacrifice fly, plating the tying run before Clarkson got out of the inning by striking out the next batter.

In the top of the fifth, the Cortland bats went to work with five runs on four hits, as Marc Stockhausen and Nolan Smith each had two-run doubles as they now led 7-2.

The Red Dragons added one run in the seventh to go up 8-2, and that was all they needed as their bullpen shut down the Cardinal offense the rest of the way.