PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. – The Plattsburgh State baseball team nearly overcame a two run deficit in the bottom of the ninth but the Cardinals were unable to deliver and fell 5-3 to The College at Brockport Friday evening at Chip Cummings Field.
Plattsburgh State is now 6-10 overall and 1-6 in the SUNYAC while Brockport moves to 8-9 overall and 3-3 in the conference.
The Cardinals finished the game with eight hits, three runs and two errors while the Golden Eagles recorded eight hits, five runs and one error.
Junior
Patrick Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y. / Center Moriches) and sophomore
Alex Follmer (Plattsburgh, N.Y. / Plattsburgh) were both 2-for-4 at the plate with one RBI and a stolen base.
Sophomore
Kentaro Mori (Tokyo, Japan / Joto) had the Cardinals other RBI.
With two on base Brockport hit a double to take a two-run lead.
Plattsburgh State cut the lead in half when Mori grounded out to the short stop which scored sophomore
Stephen Bryant (Center Moriches, N.Y. / Center Moriches).
The Cardinals tied the game in the third when P. Bryant hit a single deep to left field plating senior
Joe Deland (Farmingville, N.Y. / Sachem East) who hit a double down the right field line.
Junior
Matt Fox (Shoreham, N.Y. / Shoreham-Wading River) toed the rubber for the Cardinals and was able to hold off the Golden Eagles for three innings.
Brockport had a huge fifth inning scoring three runs off one double and two singles.
The Cardinals defense was able to keep the Golden Eagles from scoring in the remaining four innings.
The bottom of the ninth showed hope for the Cardinals as they attempted a comeback.
With one out junior
Jon Craft (Smithtown, N.Y. / Smithtown West) doubled to left field and advanced to third on a ground out.
Sophomore
Alex Follmer (Plattsburgh, N.Y. / Plattsburgh) singled to left field to score Craft.
With two outs and a runner on first freshman
Joel Batista (Bronx, N.Y. / South Bronx) pinch hit and ripped one to left field, advancing Follmer to third.
Unfortunately, with runners on first and third base and two outs S. Bryant grounded out to the third baseman and the Cardinals comeback fell short.
Fox pitched 7.1 innings and threw 119 pitches. He scattered eight hits, five runs, walked three and struck out three.
Senior
Jacob Stein (Bay Shore, N.Y. / Bay Shore) pitched 1.2 innings and struck out one.
The Cardinals are back home Saturday, March 31 to finish their series against Brockport with a doubleheader starting at noon.