PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh State baseball team ended its’ 2023 season on a high note over the weekend.
The Cardinals (15-20, 7-11), following a 5-2 win over Fredonia State on Friday, swept a 3-0 and 13-0 SUNYAC doubleheader from the Blue Devils on Saturday at Chip Cummings Field.
It was also Senior Day for the Cardinals, who honored Conner Gonzalski, Daniel Grant, Ryan Nista, Christian Ott. Mike Rasquin and Andrew Veit between contests on Saturday.
“It was definitely a good day for the seniors, getting two wins today and three on the weekend,” Plattsburgh head coach Sam Quinn-Loeb said. “We hadn’t had two shutouts in a day since I’ve been here.
“It gives us some momentum going into the offseason.”
Disappointing, however, for the Cardinals this season was losing five one-run contests within the conference — two at Oneonta, two at Brockport and one at Oswego.
“Those five one-run losses earlier in the season hurt us,” Quinn-Loeb said. “We had a number of close games with conference opponents, but just weren’t able to pull them out.”
FRIDAY
PLATTSBURGH 5
FREDONIA 2
Sean Malamud went the distance for the pitching win as he allowed five hits, two earned runs, walked five and struck out four.
The Cardinals took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the third. Alex Kornblau delivered a RBI double, Adam Wein scored on a passed ball and Gonzalski hit a sacrifice fly.
Jack Defayette had two of Plattsburgh’s six hits, including a double, single, run scored and RBI. Gonzalski drove in two runs and added a hit, while Kornblau had a double, RBI and two runs scored.
SATURDAY
PLATTSBURGH 3
FREDONIA 0
It was Chris Santic’s turn to throw a gem for the Cardinals. He went eight innings to get the victory, allowed six hits, one walk and struck out eight while improving his season record to 5-4.
Nista pitched the ninth inning to get the save.
“Santic had a great season for us,” Quinn-Loeb said. “I hope he gets some SUNYAC and regional recognition this year.”
It was a scoreless game until the Cardinals broke through with two runs in the fifth inning.
Kornblau, Kyle Cremin, Defayette, Veit and Wein all rapped out two hits each for Plattsburgh, with Cremin, Gonzalski, Defayette, Veit and Wein all getting doubles.
PLATTSBURGH 13
FREDONIA 0 (7)
Veit picked up the pitching win in this game that was called after Fredonia batted in the seventh due to the run rule.
Veit went 6.1 innings as he surrendered two hits, walked one and struck out four.
“Veit pitched really well in Game 3 of the set,” Quinn-Loeb said.
It was a sloppy game for the Blue Devils, who allowed three unearned runs in the first inning and two more in the third. Plattsburgh then put the game away with an eight-run fifth.
Defayette added two more hits for the Cardinals and Angel Espinal had a double, single and two RBI. Gonzalski chipped in a double, and Cremin was on base four of five times with a single and three walks.
An oddity in the game was a total of 11 hit batsmen, with Cardinal hitters being plunked seven times.
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Friday
Plattsburgh State 5, Fredonia State 2
Fredonia State 000 001 010 — 2 5 2
Plattsburgh State 003 000 11x — 5 6 1
O’Brochta, Ludwig (4) and Wentland. Malamud and Wein. WP- Malamud. LP- O’Brochta. 2B- Kornblau (PSU), Defayette (PSU).
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Saturday
Plattsburgh State 3, Fredonia State 0
Fredonia State 000 000 000 — 0 6 1
Plattsburgh State 000 020 01x — 3 11 0
Zientara, Lockwood (8) and Cardinali, Santic, Nista (9) and Wein. WP- Santic. LP- Zientara. Sv- Nista. 2B- Cremin (PSU), Gonzalski (PSU), Defayette (PSU), Veit (PSU), Wein (PSU).
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Plattsburgh State 13, Fredonia State 0 (7)
Fredonia State 000 000 0 — 0 3 2
Plattsburgh State 302 0080 x — 13 8 0
Lockwood, Syposs (2), Walters (5), Barbiero (5) and Wentland. Veit, Nista (7) and Wein, Espinal (2). WP- Veit. LP- Lockwood. 2B- Koller (F), Gonzalski (PSU), Espinal (PSU).