GOWANDA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State baseball team put together timely hitting and a strong effort on the mound to secure a 7-5 victory over Plattsburgh on Saturday afternoon at Gowanda High School. With the victory, the Devils improve to 2-11 overall and 1-1 in the SUNYAC , while Plattsburgh drops to 9-6 and 0-4 in conference play.
Fredonia State wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. After a pair of singles set the tone, Domenic Hickock delivered a sacrifice fly to bring home the game's first run and give the Devils a 1-0 lead. Plattsburgh, however, responded in the second inning, stringing together a pair of run-scoring hits highlighted by a two-RBI double and an RBI single to take a 3-1 advantage.
The Devils answered in the third with a three-run inning to reclaim control.
Nick Vitelli scored on a passed ball to cut into the deficit, before Domenic Hickock drove in a run and
Ryan Mettler followed with a sacrifice fly to cap the inning and give Fredonia State a 4-3 advantage.
After a stretch of scoreless innings, the Devils delivered the decisive blow in the seventh.
Andrew Tucker came through with an RBI single up the middle, Hickock added another RBI as part of the rally, and Mettler followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 7-3. The Cardinals mounted a late push with a solo home run in the eighth inning by Ryan Hart and adding another run in the ninth on a sacrifice to trim the deficit to two. The Devils, however, were able to close the door in 9th when
Michael Gangloff checked in to pitch for Fredonia State to record the final out of the game.
The pitching for the Devils was solid all day with
Morgan Zientara earning the win, going six innings while allowing three runs and striking out seven to move to 1-2 on the season.
Nick Syposs provided relief, working 2.2 innings with three strikeouts, before
Michael Gangloff checked in the 9th to secure his first save of the year. For Plattsburgh, Kyan Zamaniyan took the loss, falling to 2-1 after allowing four runs (one earned) over six innings.
Offensively, Fredonia State was led by multi-hit performances from
Nick Vitelli and
Bryce Firkins, while Hickock and Mettler combined for five RBIs.
The Devils will be back in action Sunday in a doubleheader against Plattsburgh to close out the series, with game one set to begin at noon at Gowanda High School.
