Aston, Pa.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's baseball team opened the 2019 season on Saturday afternoon by dropping a non-league doubleheader to the host Nittany Lions of Penn State Brandywine by scores of 6-4 and 8-2 to open the season 0-2 overall.

In the first game, the Fighting Tigers jumped out to a 4-0 lead courtesy of the bat of freshman second baseman Joseph Ciatto, Patterson, N.Y., Carmel High School, who went 3-for-3 with a triple, walk, runs scored and a pair of RBI in the game.

However leading 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth with two outs; the Cobleskill bullpen stumbled allowing four Nittany Lion runs in the frame, to give the home team a 6-4 advantage.
In the top of the seventh the Orange & Black loaded the bases but could not push anything across the plate ending the game on a strike-out/throw out double play at home plate.
Freshman hurler Andrew Curtin, Rochester, N.Y., Churchville Chili High School, took the loss in relief of sophomore starter Devin Lewis, Cobleskill, N.Y., Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, who worked a strong 5 2/3 innings allowing only two earned runs; striking out five and walking three in his first outing, of the year.

In the nightcap, the Fighting Tigers trailed 2-0 in the top of the fourth when sophomore center fielder Mitchell Holmes, Dartmouth, Mass., Bristol County Agricultural High School, singled home freshman third baseman Frank Leger, Bronx, N.Y., All Hallows High School, who had singled and sophomore shortstop Eddie Garcia, Bronx, N.Y., World View High School, who had doubled as part of a 2-for-3 outing at the plate.

But the tie was short lived as the Nittany Lions capitalized on nine walks by the Cobleskill pitching staff to score four runs in the bottom of the inning and two runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure the victory.

The Fighting Tigers will close the road trip on Sunday afternoon when they return to Aston, Pa. for another non-league doubleheader with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m.