Waterville, ME: The SUNY Cobleskill baseball team remained perfect in North Atlantic Conference play on Monday, sweeping Thomas College in a doubleheader capped by a dramatic six-run ninth-inning comeback in game two.
 
Game One: Cobleskill 8, Thomas 6
The SUNY Cobleskill baseball team stayed perfect in conference play with an 8-6 win over Thomas College in game one of Monday morning's NAC doubleheader at Colby College.
 
The Fighting Tigers were sparked by outfielder Zach Ducorsky (Oceanside, NY), who filled up the box score with a 2-for-3 day that included three runs, two doubles, and three stolen bases—including a pair of daring steals of home. First-year shortstop Jeffrey Gutierrez (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes) went 2-for-3 with a double, triple, two runs scored, and an RBI, while first baseman Cole Platt (Oneonta, NY) added a two-run double. Logan Firment (Andes, NY/South Kortright) and Ryan Lansing (Cooperstown, NY)each chipped in with doubles, and David Flora (Windsor, NY) picked up an RBI as well.
 
On the hill, Dylan Schwam (Cooper City, FL/South Plantation) earned the win to improve to 2-2, punching out eight over six innings of work while allowing four earned runs on six hits. Adam Champlin (South Kortright, NY) came out of the bullpen to close things down in the seventh and lock up the win.
 
Cobleskill struck first in the opening frame thanks to Ducorsky's aggressive base running, swiping home to give the Tigers an early 1-0 lead. Thomas answered with single runs in the first and second to go up 2-1, but the Tigers responded in the third. Firment laced an RBI double to left to score Gutierrez, and moments later Ducorsky swiped home for the second time, giving Cobleskill a 3-2 edge.
 
The Terriers tied it at 3-3 in the bottom half, but the Tigers took control in the fourth. Gutierrez drove in Lansing with a double, then came around to score on a Thomas error. Ducorsky added another run by scoring on a wild pitch, stretching the lead to 6-3.
 
In the seventh, Platt delivered the knockout blow with a two-run double to right, scoring Troy Enamait (Vernon, CT/Rockville) and Flora to make it 8-3. Thomas didn't go quietly, scoring three times in their final at-bat, but Champlin slammed the door to secure the win for Cobleskill.
 
Game Two: Cobleskill 14, Thomas 13
The Tigers used a wild, six-run rally in the top of the ninth to cap off a dramatic 14-13 comeback win and complete the doubleheader sweep over Thomas College on Monday morning in NAC action.
 
Cobleskill's offense erupted for 14 runs on 17 hits, led by a breakout performance from first-year shortstop Jeffrey Gutierrez, who went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, a double, a run scored, and a stolen base. Cole Platt (Oneonta, NY) blasted his first career home run as part of a 3-for-6 showing with two RBIs and two runs scored. Logan Firment drove in three runs and went 2-for-6 with a double, while Jesus Sarda (Colonie, NY) stayed hot at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two runs, an RBI, and a stolen base.
 
The Tigers went deep into their bullpen, using six pitchers in the high-scoring affair. Tyler Sienko (Binghamton, NY) earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the season, while Mike Markle (West Shokan, NY/Rondout Valley) anchored the middle innings with three strikeouts in three frames. Logan Scott (Binghamton, NY) and Connor Mulligan (Cheshire, NY) each struck out two in their outings.
 
After falling behind 2-0 in the first, Cobleskill roared to life with five runs in the second inning behind clutch hits from Platt, Anthony Sergi (Chenango Forks, NY), and Gutierrez. The Tigers extended the lead to 7-4 in the third when Platt crushed a solo shot to left for his first collegiate homer. But the Terriers came right back, plating four runs across the third and fourth innings to jump ahead 8-7.
 
Cobleskill evened things up in the sixth, as Ducorsky's speed on the basepaths turned Firment's double to right-center into an 8-8 tie. But Thomas regained control, scoring four in the seventh and tacking on one more in the eighth to build a 13-8 advantage, putting the Tigers on the brink.
 
That set the stage for one of the most thrilling innings of the season. Trailing by five runs entering the ninth, the Tigers got a break when a miscommunication on a foul popup allowed Sarda to steal home, making it 13-9 and flipping the momentum. With two outs and the bases still alive, Gutierrez roped an RBI single to score Christian Tedford (Coxsackie, NY/Coxsackie Athens), then Ducorsky followed with a double to right. Firment came through in the clutch, beating out an single that scored both runners and cut the deficit to 13-12.
 
Thomas walked David Flora which set the stage for Korin Laurilla (East Greenbush, NY), as Laurilla ripped a single to center to tie the game. With the go-ahead run on base, Sarda stepped back in and delivered the knockout blow with a line drive to center that brought Flora home and gave Cobleskill a 14-13 lead.
 
Sienko came on in the bottom of the ninth and slammed the door to seal the comeback win and sweep for the Tigers.
 
Up Next:
The Tigers return to action tomorrow as they travel to Husson University for a 11:00 a.m. NAC doubleheader.