Winter Haven, FL – A six-run fifth in game one and a run in extra innings in game two gave the Clarkson University Baseball team a sweep of SUNY Cobleskill on opening day as the Golden Knights won 12-1 and 4-3 at Chain O Lakes Park in Florida.
In the first game, the Knights scored twice in the second and fourth innings, with senior Austin Pitkin (Dexter, NY) in the middle of each rally. Pitkin delivered a single to drive in Brady Torbitt (Fulton, NY), who had stolen both second and third after a leadoff walk, in the second inning and freshman Jerry Coleman (Potsdam, NY) followed with a triple for a 2-0 lead. After Cobleskill tallied a run in the third, the Knights struck for two more in the fourth. Pitkin led off the inning with a double and scored on an error, and then Matt Curry (Richland, NY) came home on an opposite-field single from Matt Giordano (Liverpool, NY). Six more runs came in during the fifth inning, but the Knights needed just two hits as Cobleskill’s pitchers struggled to find the plate. In the sixth, Curry drove in two more on a triple off the fence to finish off the victory for the Knights.
Rick Bittner (Lancaster, NY) earned the win for Clarkson, scattering five hits in five innings. Freshman Jordan Yells (Waterloo, NY) pitched the final two innings for the Knights, striking out three in relief. Pitkin led Clarkson offensively, going 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a pair driven in. Curry also scored twice and drove in three. Coleman went 2-for-3 with his triple.
In game two, the Knights started off sluggishly and struggled with the bat. Trailing by a run, Clarkson got on the scoreboard without the benefit of a hit in the fourth inning as Matt Holiday (Syracuse, NY) reached first when he was struck by a pitch. He advanced on a wild pitch and a groundout, and after a walk to Torbitt, the junior took off for second to get in a run down, allowing Holiday to score.
In the sixth inning, the Knights jumped on top with a two-run home run by Brett Peplowski (Albany, NY) down the right field line, the first by a Clarkson player in 2009. Cobleskill squeaked runs across in the sixth and seventh innings to send the game to extra frames, and the Knights were able to come away with the victory with a run in the ninth inning. With two outs in the ninth, Jerry Coleman reached on an error by the shortstop, stole second, and reached third on a balk. Matt Curry then delivered a double down the left field line to score Coleman with the winning run.
Clarkson had just five hits in game two of the doubleheader, but still scored four times thanks to timely hitting and taking advantage of their opponent’s mistakes.
Sophomore Justin McInerney (Grand Island, NY) earned the victory in relief, going three innings and striking out four while giving up three hits. Classmate David Goerold (Clifton Park, NY) made the start for Clarkson, going six strong innings in giving up six hits and one walk while whiffing five.
