THROGGS NECK, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team looked to finish the weekend strong following Saturday's doubleheader sweep of John Jay, remaining on the road Sunday to take on Maritime College in a non-conference doubleheader. Maritime entered play holding a 6–2 all-time edge over the Cardinals, but Plattsburgh flipped the script with a sweep.
The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning. Jackson Pam (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hollow Hills East) opened the game with a single before Jonathan Beale (Staten Island, N.Y./St. Peter's Boys) followed with a base hit of his own. After a walk loaded the bases, Frankie Kowal (Shrub Oak, N.Y./Lakeland) delivered a two-run single to left field, scoring Pam and Beale to give Plattsburgh a quick 2–0 advantage.
Maritime responded in the third inning, tying the game on a two-run home run before taking the lead on a solo shot later in the frame. The Privateers added another run in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 4–2, putting the Cardinals in comeback mode late in the contest.
Plattsburgh's rally began in the eighth inning. With runners on base, Michael Piccirillo (Glen Cove, N.Y./Glen Cove) launched a go-ahead grand slam to right field, bringing home Tyler Martin (New Windsor, N.Y./Newburgh Free Academy), Colin Ross (Mastic Beach, N.Y./William Floyd), and Kowal to flip the score and give the Cardinals a 6–4 lead.
The Cardinals then broke the game wide open in the ninth inning with an offensive outburst. Ross drove in a run with a groundout to extend the lead before Martin followed with an RBI single. Piccirillo struck again moments later, ripping a two-run ground-rule double to left-center. Ian Warren (Esopus, N.Y./Highland) continued the rally with a two-run double, and Pam capped the inning with a two-run home run to right-center as Plattsburgh plated eight runs in the frame to pull away.
Piccirillo finished the opener with six RBIs, while Pam added a home run and two RBIs as part of the Cardinals' 17-hit offensive performance. On the mound, John Esposito (Wappingers Falls, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham) earned the win in relief, tossing 3.2 innings and striking out eight while allowing just one run to secure the comeback victory for Plattsburgh.
The Cardinals carried their momentum from the opener into game two, using timely hitting and a strong pitching performance to complete the doubleheader sweep.
Plattsburgh got on the board early in the second inning when Frankie Kowal led off the frame with a triple. Jackson Pam followed with an RBI double down the right-field line, driving in Kowal to give the Cardinals a 1–0 lead. Maritime responded in the third inning, plating a run to even the score at 1–1.
The Cardinals regained control in the fifth inning when Colin Ross jumpstarted the offense with a solo home run to put Plattsburgh back in front. Ross continued his strong day at the plate in the seventh inning, delivering an RBI single to extend the lead. The Cardinals added two more runs in the inning, taking advantage of a wild pitch that allowed a run to score before Austin Caldwell (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) drove in another with an RBI groundout. The late offensive push secured a 5–1 victory for Plattsburgh.
On the mound, Kyan Zamaniyan (Kings Park, N.Y./Smithtown West) earned the win for the Cardinals after tossing five innings, allowing one earned run while striking out five. Dom Benedetto (Putnam Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley)closed out the game in relief, earning the save after pitching two scoreless innings to secure the win.
With the sweep, the Cardinals improve to 9–1 on the season. Plattsburgh will be back in action on Wednesday, March 18, when they travel to face King's College, with first pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
