Oneonta, NY: The Fighting Tigers of SUNY Cobleskill fell just short of victory in a wild, weather-shortened contest on Wednesday afternoon, dropping a 13-9 decision to SUNY Oneonta. The Tigers clawed their way back from an early deficit with a massive sixth-inning rally, but the Red Dragons capitalized on a snowy bottom half of the frame to snatch back the lead before the game was called due to hazardous playing conditions.

On the day, Ryan Lansing (Cooperstown, NY) led the Tigers at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Christian Tedford (Coxsackie, NY/Coxsackie Athens) impressed with a 2-for-3 performance, while Korin Laurilla (East Greenbush, NY/Columbia), Logan Firment (Andes, NY/South Kortright), and Zach Ducorsky (Oceanside, NY) each drove in a run during the Tigers' offensive explosion. Zach Papanikolatos (Patchoque, NY/Patchoque-Medford) recorded the Tigers only double going 1-4 scoring one run.

The Tigers leaned on a committee approach on the mound, with five pitchers seeing action. Starter Dylan Schwam (Cooper City, FL) worked 1.2 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits. Tanner Wood (Glenville, NY/Niskayuna) and Mike Markle (West Shokan, NY/Roundout Valley) provided solid relief, combining for 3.1 innings of one-run ball, with Declan Krogman (New York, NY/Xavier) pitched .1 innings for the Tigers. Connor Mulligan (Cheshire, NY) took the loss after surrendering four runs in the decisive sixth inning.

Cobleskill's bats came alive in the sixth inning, as the Fighting Tigers erased a 7-1 deficit to briefly take a 9-7 lead. Ryan Lansing sparked the rally with a sharp single to right field, plating David Flora (Windsor, NY). Moments later, Christian Tedford's aggressive baserunning on a wild pitch brought home Zach Papanikolatos, making it a 7-3 game. Oneonta's pitching change couldn't stop the Tigers' momentum, as Laurilla and Firment drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks to bring Cobleskill within one. Then, Zach Ducorsky delivered a clutch RBI single to right-center, knotting the score at 7-7. Two more runs crossed the plate on a wild pitch and a defensive miscue by Oneonta's third baseman, giving Cobleskill their first lead of the day at 9-7.

Unfortunately, the Tigers' newfound lead was short-lived. As the snow began to fall harder in the bottom of the sixth, visibility worsened, and the Red Dragons pounced. A hit-by-pitch and a pair of RBI singles set the stage for Oneonta's go-ahead blow: a bases-clearing double to deep center field that put the hosts up 13-9. Cobleskill's bullpen couldn't stem the tide, and before the Tigers could mount another comeback, the game ended after sixth innings.

The loss drops Cobleskill to 5-9 on the season, while Oneonta improves to 11-5.

Up Next:
The Fighting Tigers look to bounce back on Friday, March 28, when they travel to face RPI in a non-conference matchup. First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.