Watertown, NY – A five-run third inning proved to be the difference as the Clarkson University Baseball team saw a three-game winning streak come to an end in an 8-5 loss to Brockport State Wednesday afternoon at the Duffy Fairgrounds.
The Golden Knights dropped below .500 at 8-9 on the season and return to action this weekend against St. John Fisher on Saturday afternoon. The Golden Eagles improved to 7-10-1.
Brockport started the scoring in the bottom of the first when Kris Gentzke hit a two-out, solo homer to left center, making the score 1-0. The Golden Eagles then added five runs in the third when they strung four hits together surrounded by a pair of errors by the Knights.
Clarkson didn’t get on the scoreboard until the top of the fourth inning when Sean Griffin (Walden, NY) plated Brett Peplowski (Albany, NY), who singled to start the inning, on a fielder’s choice. The Knights added another run in the sixth as Matt Giordano (Liverpool, NY) sent Brady Torbitt (Fulton, NY home, also on a fielder’s choice. Brockport responded with a run in the bottom inning to regain its five-run advantage.
In the top of the seventh inning, Mike Bresett (Norwood, NY) hit a one-out double to the left-centerfield fence, which was followed by a walk by Peplowski. Matt Holiday (Syracuse, NY) then ripped a 1-0 pitch over the left-field fence for a three-run homer and cut the Golden Eagles advantage to two runs. Unfortunately, the Knights were unable to score any more runs for the remainder of their at bats.
Rick Bittner (Lancaster, NY) took the loss in limited work, allowing five runs on four hits in two and a third innings, while striking out four, all looking. Jake Groszewski (Rochester, NY) came on for the next three-plus innings, allowing one earned run and striking out three. David Goerold (Clifton Park, NY) finished out the game for the Knights, fanning four and allowing one run in two frames.
Bresett and Holiday were the only two Clarkson players to record multi-hit games. In only the 17th game of the season, Holiday became the first Clarkson player in five seasons to hit four home runs in a single campaign. He has also already recorded 15 extra-base hits this season, becoming only the seventh player to accomplish the feat in the past 30 years.
