BOXSCORE
Senior Max Zimmerman (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) had two hits including a double that scored one of the four runs in the fourth inning for The College at Brockport Baseball team but an early deficit to #23 Keystone College was too hard to overcome and the Golden Eagles dropped a 9-5 decision Sunday afternoon at Lake Myrtle Park in Winter Haven, Florida. The loss for the Golden Eagles was the first in five games since the start of the annual Spring Training trip and snapped a six-game winning streak for Brockport.
“It was a tough ball game for us,” said head coach Justin Beach. “We couldn't put nine innings together and we made too many mistakes. You can't make that many mistakes and hope to have a chance against a nationally-ranked team like Keystone.”
Keystone (1-1) took a lead in the second inning with three consecutive singles after starter Anthony Siracusa (Auburn, NY/Auburn) had struck out the first two batters of the inning. In the third inning, the Giants scored three times to take a 4-0 lead and led 6-0 with two more runs in the fourth inning.
Brockport (6-2) battled back to score four times in the top of the fifth inning cutting the lead to 6-4. Tom McCormick (Utica, NY/Utica Notre Dame) opened the inning reaching base after being hit by a pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a walk to Jeff Sergott (Oriskany, NY/Oriskany), McCormick scored on an infield fielder's choice play by Max Keado (Troy, NY/Catholic Central). Keado advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a Mike Weakley (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) single. Zimmerman was next and doubled to score Weakley and scored one batter later on a single by Zach Prentice (Auburn, NY/Auburn).
“We came back well after being down six runs early on,” said Beach. “The guys didn't give up and I liked to see that.”
Keystone answered back in the bottom of the inning with three runs to regain the lead and Brockport added a single run in the eighth for the final score.
Zimmerman finished the day 2-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted in while Corey Booth (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) also added a pair of hits. Zimmerman had a double for Brockport as did pinch hitter Kyle Tracy Plainview, NY/Bethpage) in the eighth inning for the Golden Eagles.
