Plattsburgh State 3, Vermont 2

BOX SCORE

BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Jon Lerner’s two-run single was the difference as Plattsburgh State stunned Vermont, 3-2, in college baseball at Centennial Field on Thursday afternoon.

Lerner’s hit in the fifth, through a drawn-in infield, was the only hit of the game for the Division III Cardinals who also limited the Catamounts to just three hits, only one past the first inning.

Vermont got on the board in their first at bat as Bobby Tewksbary led with a single and with one out, came home on Barry Chamberland’s line drive home run to right field. Chamberland, who has hit five homers in UVM’s seven games at Centennial Field, now has a team-high seven on the season. Chamberland had Vermont’s only other hit, a double to right center with two outs in the sixth.

With a cold wind blowing in from center field, the Cats were kept off balance by six different Cardinal pitchers who induced 11 fly ball or pop up outs while issuing only three walks.

The Cardinals (10-12) made it 2-1 in the fourth as John Sabec led with a walk off UVM starter Chris Blazek (4 IP, 0 H, 5 BB, 5 K’s). He moved to second on a passed ball, to third on a balk and with two outs, came home on a short wild pitch.

They took the lead in the fifth taking advantage of wildness by reliever Brett Dobens (0-2). Dobens hit the first two batters he faced, Cliff Conners and Dave Waldron, both with two strikes. Dennis Lavin then bunted the runners over before Lerner’s single. Justin Bissonnette came in for the sixth and seventh and retired all six hitters, five by strikeouts.

Joe Light (3-0), the fourth Cardinal pitcher earned the win while freshman Brian Noel of Highgate, Vt. hurled the sixth and seventh to pick up the save.

The Catamounts (18-7) return to America East action hosting Albany this weekend with doubleheaders on tap for Saturday and Sunday.