Potsdam, NY – Junior Andy Salvatore pitched out of jams efficiently over eight innings for Oswego State, holding the Clarkson University Baseball team to six hits and a single run as the Golden Knights dropped an 8-1 decision to the Lakers Tuesday afternoon at Jack Phillips Stadium.
The Golden Knights fell to 11-13 overall on the season, their second straight non-league loss, while Oswego improved to 10-8. Clarkson returns to conference action this weekend when it visits the University of Rochester on Saturday and Sunday.
Senior Greg Chojecki (West Seneca, NY) got the start for Clarkson and pitched three flawless innings before Oswego finally solved the righty in the fourth inning. In the top of that inning, the Lakers scored their first run on back-to-back doubles and picked up two more on a pair of RBI hits, including a two-out triple by Bryan Stark. Shortstop Mike Levy plated two more runs in the fourth inning with a single to right field, giving the Lakers a 5-0 lead.
In the seventh inning, the Lakers extended their lead and put the game away with a three-run, two-out rally. Oswego loaded the bases and designated hitter Casey Rice delivered a two-run single, which was followed by another RBI hit from Stark, giving the Lakers an 8-0 edge.
Clarkson finally got on the scoreboard in the eighth inning when junior Brady Torbitt (Fulton, NY) homered for the third time this season, sending a deep fly to right-center field. Clarkson again threatened in the ninth, but the Lakers wiggled out of yet another jam to preserve the victory.
Oswego’s Andy Salvatore and PJ Cowie combined to give up just seven hits over nine innings, but the pair allowed six walks and added another base runner with a hit by pitch. However, Salvatore was able to get out of many predicaments thanks to a solid defensive effort from his infield, which turned in 13 groundouts for the starter, including a timely double play.
Clarkson’s pitchers allowed 12 hits and eight earned runs as the Lakers bunched their hits together in the final six innings. The Lakers’ first-inning hitters combined for seven hits, with Levy driving in three runs. Stark and Rice each drove in two.
Junior Matt Curry (Richland, NY) was the only Clarkson hitter to record a multi-hit game, going 3-for-4 to raise his season batting average to a team-best .444 through 24 contests.
