PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team dropped a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) matchup with Cortland in seven innings, falling 13-3 to the Red Dragons in the conference series finale. The game was tied 3-3 entering the sixth inning, but Cortland scored 10 runs in the next two innings to earn the run-rule win.

For Plattsburgh, Adam Wein (North Rockland, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep) was 2-3 with an RBI, while Joey Di Rocco (Congers, N.Y./Clarkstown South) drove in a run, had a hit, and was also hit by a pitch to reach twice. Isaiah Maines (Hudson, N.Y./Hudson) got the start, going two innings, while Justin Sargent (Niskayuna, N.Y./Niskayuna) tossed 3.1 innings of solid baseball, allowing three runs and striking out two, but took the loss in relief.

For Cortland, Nolan Smith was 4-5 with an RBI and run scored while Marc Stockhausen broke open the game with a grand slam in the sixth. Nick Marola was 2-3 with two RBI, including a solo homer, while both Chris Bonacci and Zachary Kringdon each had two hits, a double, and an RBI. Dylan Beers earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings, while Tommy Lynch and Nick Hanson followed with scoreless innings of relief.

Plattsburgh State falls to 9-20 (1-13 SUNYAC) and next takes on SUNY Canton on Tuesday, April 29, on the road in SUNYAC action. Cortland improves to 23-11 (13-3 SUNYAC) and next takes on New Paltz in the series finale of the top two teams in the SUNYAC.

Cortland took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning as Talon Elkins singled home a run and Smith singled through the right side to bring him home two batters later. In the bottom half of the inning, the Cardinals got a run as an HBP, a walk, and another HBP loaded the bases for Kyle Cremin (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Kennedy Catholic) who then brought in Di Rocco with a sacrifice fly. Starter Ryan Banks of Cortland was able to induce a double play on the next batter, ending the Plattsburgh threat.

A Bonacci double added another run for Cortland in the second, as they led 3-1 after three and a half innings of play. In the fourth, a leadoff single and one-out walk brought Beers into the game from the bullpen, but he could not stop the inherited runners from scoring. Beers walked the first batter he faced and then gave up RBI singles to Wein and Di Rocco, allowing Plattsburgh to tie the game. With the bases still loaded, he struck out a pinch hitter and then gave up a long fly out to Alex Kornblau (Pound Ridge, N.Y./Fox Lane), which was tracked down in right-centerfield, just in front of the warning track.

In the fifth, both Beers and Sargent worked around walks to throw scoreless innings, setting up the big sixth inning for the Red Dragons. A one-out single and stolen base were followed by Marola's single to left, giving the Red Dragons the lead. After an HBP, the Cardinals changed the pitcher, and after a walk to load the bases, Stockhausen sent a homer deep down the left field and over the wall to give Cortland an 8-3 lead. Two more runs came in to score, as the Red Dragons put together a seven-run, six-hit inning, taking a 10-3 lead.

After a 1-2-3 inning from Lynch on the mound, Cortland added two runs on singles from Kringdon and Luke Schartner, putting them up 10 runs to put the run-rule into effect. The Cardinals got a one-out single from Kornblau in the seventh, but were unable to bring him home, falling 13-3 in seven innings.