Cobleskill, NY - Vermont State University Lyndon and teh State University of New York at Cobleskill battled in a pair of one-run thrillers on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately for the Hornets, the Fighting Tigers came up on top in both ends of the North Atlantic Conference doubleheader to improve to 10-11 on the season and 8-2 in NAC play. Lyndon dropped to 6-14 on the season and 2-4 in conference.
Game 1 - SUNY Cobleskill 5, VTSU Lyndon 4
After two scoreless innings, the Hornets broke on top with three runs in the top of the third inning. Aaron LeFrancois (Rutland, VT) was hit by a pitch leading off and moved to second on a passed ball. He moved to third on Eyon Tembreull's (Vergennes, VT) pop out then scored on a Caesar Cisneros (National City, CA) base hit. Cisneros stole second and scored on Ryan Alt's (Poultney, VT) single. After Tredell Blow (Yorktown, VA) was hit by a pitch, back to back walks to Matt Gonyeau (St. Albans, VT) and Jeren Harrison (Charlotte, NA) brought home Alt to give the Hornets a 3-0 lead. With the bases loaded and one out, Hunter Smith relieved Cobleskill starter Reis Bremmer and got a double play ball to end the inning.
Cobleskill got back within a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Ryan Lansing drew a one-out walk and stole second. He scored the Tigers' first run when Tony Woodie tripled. Korin Laurilla followed with a base hit to make it a one-run game.
The Hornets loaded the bases in the top of the fifth inning on walks to Gonyeau, Jack Daicar (Kingston, ON), and LeFrancois. When Tembreull reached on a fielder's choice, Gonyeau scored to make it 4-2, Lyndon.
Cobleskill staged a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth inning. Lansing singled and Woodie doubled to put runners at second and third. After a wild pitch brought Lansing home, Laurilla doubled to plate Woodie and tie the game. Logan Firment's double then brought home pinch runner Christian Tedford to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead.
Na'eem Bornstein-Brown came on to retire Lyndon in order in the ninth to give Cobleskill the victory. Jared Ainsworth, the fourth of five Cobleskill pitchers, got the win and Bornstein-Brown picked up the save. Mike Redmond (Plantation, FL), the second Lyndon pitcher, took the loss.
Game 2 - SUNY Cobleskill 1, VTSU Lyndon 0
The nightcap featured outstanding pitching performances from both starters, Lyndon's Carlos Rodriguez (La Mirada, CA) and Cobleskill's Alex Burciaga. Both pitchers hung zeros through seven innings, sending the game into extra innings scoreless.
Bornstein-Brown came on to pitch in the top of the eighth inning and retired the Hornets. In the bottom of the frame, pinch hitter Jesus Sarda singled leading off. Then with one out, Jeffrey Gutierrez singled to move the winning run to second base. Rodroguez got the second out, but then Lansing sent a two strike pitch back up the middle for a base hit that scored Sarda with the winning run.
Bornstein-Brown picked up the win after relieving Burciaga. Buricaga struck out six and allowed only four hits over seven innings of work. Rodroguez went the distance for Lyndon, taking the loss despite striking out three without issuing a walk and yielding seven seven hits.
The Hornets and Tigers will complete the four-game series with another doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 noon.
