Riding a three-game conference winning streak, the Oswego State baseball team (19-13, 10-6 SUNYAC) came back from an early deficit to pick up a huge win over Plattsburgh (11-21, 4-12), 7-5.
With the victory, the Lakers clinched the third-seed in the SUNYAC Tournament, and will face New Paltz in the first game of the SUNYAC Tournament.
Plattsburgh did damage early in the contest, plating the first three runs of the game in the bottom of the first highlighted by a two-run single by Chris Pescetti and an RBI double by Mike Varques. Oswego State answered back in the second after Dan Karleski (Jr., Syracuse, N.Y.) belted a two-run single to score Michael Mascari (Jr., Syracuse, N.Y.) and Alex Jurczynski (Sr., Schenectady, N.Y.). The Lakers tied the game and took the lead in the top half of the third, scoring Brian Hamilton (So., Liverpool, N.Y.) on a single to right field by Mascari and Andrew Lazzaro (Sr., Oswego, N.Y.) doubled to the opposite field to score Mascari.
Mike McMullen (Jr., Syracuse, N.Y.) helped give Oswego State some insurance runs in the fourth by plating Mike Stark (Sr., Rochester, N.Y.) with Scott Buniak (Jr., Clifton Park, N.Y.) coming around on a Cardinal throwing error for a 6-3 Laker lead. The Cardinals plated an unearned run in the bottom half of the frame to pull within two runs of Oswego State.
The teams traded runs in the eighth inning with Jordan Giller (Fr., Toronto, Ont.) bringing Lazzaro home on a double to right center in the top half and Plattsburgh scoring on a fielder's choice in the bottom half to keep the Lakers honest. Ryan Donovan (Jr., Utica, N.Y.) shut down the Cardinals with a perfect ninth inning to secure the win and pick up his third save on the season.
Dan Erne (Sr., Rochester, N.Y.) earned his fifth win of the season and kept his season ERA at a stellar 1.77. Erne pitched six innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on 10 hits. Miles Kelly (Fr., Clifton Park, N.Y.) gave up just one run in two innings, while fanning three Cardinals. Marc Plante pitched three innings, surrendering four runs and six hits in the loss for Plattsburgh.
Oswego State continues in Plattsburgh, Saturday, April 27, for its final two games on its regular season conference schedule. The first game is scheduled at noon.
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