By Ziaire Ferrell & Justin Rushia
The Plattsburgh State baseball team showed resilience across its three-game SUNYAC series against nationally ranked No. 10 Cortland but ultimately came up empty, suffering a sweep capped by a 13-3 loss Saturday afternoon at Chip Cummings Field on April 25 and 26.
Game One
Senior Kolby Mordecki delivered a strong performance on the mound in Friday’s opener, tossing seven innings and allowing just two earned runs while striking out four. However, he was outdueled by Cortland ace Luis Misla, who threw a complete game and struck out a program-record 19 batters in a dominant 5-1 win.
Misla carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning before junior Kyle Cremin broke it up with a single up the middle. The Red Dragons’ lefty allowed just three hits, walked two and gave up no earned runs in the victory.
Despite the Cardinals’ struggles at the plate, sophomore infielder Jonathan Beale and senior outfielder TJ Beninati each collected singles.
Beale scored the lone Plattsburgh run in the fifth. After reaching base on a strikeout and wild pitch, Beale advanced on a walk from Beninati and crossed home on a throwing error during a fielder’s choice.
Cortland capitalized on Plattsburgh’s early defensive miscues. The Cards had two errors in the third inning, setting up a two-run single by the Red Dragons. Cortland drove in two more with a single in the fourth to make it 4-0.
Plattsburgh’s bullpen kept the game close late, but a ninth-inning error allowed Cortland to tack on an insurance run.
The Cardinals nearly started a late rally after Cremin’s hit spoiled Misla’s no-hitter and back-to-back singles from Beale and Beninati loaded the bases and brought the tying run to the plate.
Misla responded by inducing a flyout to end the threat and secure the series opener.
“Overall, I feel like I pitched a pretty good game, but there’s always things to improve on for next time,” said Mordecki. “I feel like I can pitch better with runners on, limit damage and also limit walks and hit by pitches.”
Game Two
Plattsburgh took the early lead in game two of Friday’s doubleheader, but Cortland used a five-run fifth inning to pull away and clinch the series with an 8-2 victory.
Senior outfielder Josh Foglia and senior shortstop Alex Kornblau each went 2-for-4 with a run scored, setting the table for Cremin’s two-run single in the first inning that put the Cardinals ahead 2-0.
Junior pitcher Kaelen Clarkson kept Cortland quiet through the first three innings, but the Red Dragons tied the game in the fourth with a single, a hit-by-pitch, and a sacrifice fly.
In the fifth, Cortland’s offense exploded. Back-to-back two-run doubles by the Red Dragons sparked the five-run outburst that turned the game on its head.
Clarkson took the loss, allowing five earned runs in 4.1 innings. Senior righty Nick Goldberg came in and threw 4.2 innings with four strikeouts and two earned runs.
Cortland added a run in the seventh, extending its lead to 8-2 over Plattsburgh.
Two Red Dragon relievers combined for four scoreless innings.
“There were times when our pitching, defense, and offense were all great, but we just couldn’t get all three clicking at once. That’s been our biggest issue this season,” Mordecki said.
Game Three
Saturday’s series finale saw the Cardinals trade punches early with the Red Dragons, battling to a 3-3 tie entering the bottom of the sixth. However, a massive seven-run outburst from Cortland, topped off by a grand slam, sealed Plattsburgh’s fate in a 13-3, seven-inning defeat.
Cortland opened the scoring in the first inning, driving in two runs.
Plattsburgh responded in the bottom half, loading the bases on a hit-by-pitch, a walk, and another hit batter. Cremin drove in senior second basemen Joey Di Rocco with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 2-1.
Cortland added a run in the second to extend its lead to 3-1.
In the fourth, Plattsburgh found life against the Red Dragons’ relievers.
After allowing a walk and a hit, Cortland went to its bullpen, but still struggled to contain the Cardinals. Senior catcher Adam Wein and Di Rocco delivered back-to-back RBI singles to tie the game at 3-3.
Plattsburgh nearly took the lead, but a flyout to deep right-center ended the inning.
Neither team was able to score in the fifth inning.
Cortland’s offense exploded in the sixth. After a single, a stolen base, and an RBI single gave Cortland the lead, a hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases. The Red Dragons launched a grand slam down the left-field line, putting Cortland ahead 8-3.
Cortland wasn’t done there. Two more runs came across in the inning, making it a seven-run, six-hit frame and stretching the lead to 10-3.
After shutting down the Plattsburgh offense in the bottom of the sixth, Cortland added three more runs in the seventh to push the margin to 13-3 and invoke the run rule.
Plattsburgh’s Kornblau singled in the seventh, but the Cardinals could not mount a rally, falling short to close the series.
Wein led Plattsburgh offensively, going 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Di Rocco contributed an RBI and reached base twice. Junior Isaiah Maines pitched two innings, and sophomore Justin Sargent worked 3.1 innings, allowing three runs and striking out two while taking the loss.
“I think the third game reflected our season because we played really good for the first half of the game, but couldn’t get the job done in the end,” Mordecki said.
Plattsburgh fell to 9-20 overall and 1-13 in SUNYAC play, while Cortland improved to 23-11 and 13-3 in conference action.
Despite the setbacks, Mordecki emphasized the team’s positivity and continued focus on improvement.
“Although we are not playing anywhere close to how we should be, we are staying positive and not dwelling on the bad,” Mordecki said. “I would say we had a lot of good moments this week; we just couldn’t piece the good moments together and capitalize.”
Plattsburgh will travel to SUNY Canton on May 1 for a conference matchup against the Kangaroos before wrapping up the season with a series against the Fredonia Blue Devils on May 2 and 3.
“We are in last place right now, but with four conference wins next week, I think we can finish the season on a high note and move into fifth,” Mordecki said.
