BOXSCORE
Senior Kyle Smith (Sanborn, NY/Niagara-Wheatfield) tossed another complete-game victory and fellow senior Max Zimmerman (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) connected on his 19th career home run to lead The College at Brockport Baseball team to a 6-0 victory over New Platz Sunday at Fredonia in a State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) make-up game after a rainout early in the season forced the postponement.
Smith moved to 7-1 with his nine-inning shutout of New Paltz (17-14 Overall, 7-7 SUNYAC) as he allowed just five hits and struck out nine Hawk batters while not issuing a single walk. The nine strikeouts bring his season total to 62 which is fourth on the all-time Brockport list and is just six away from the top spot for strikeouts in a season. His 115 career strikeout total is currently fifth on the all-time list after just two seasons for the Golden Eagles (19-9, 8-5).
“Kyle (Smith) had another great outing,” said head coach Justin Beach. “He had command of his pitches and kept the New Paltz hitters off balance all day. When he did get into trouble, he stepped up and made the pitches he needed to in order to get out of the jam.”
With Smith on the mound, Brockport got all the offense it needed from the bat of Zimmerman. The senior hit his second home run of the year and his 19th career blast to move into second place on the all-time career home run list and is just one away from tying Jim Voutour who hit 20 homers in his career in the late 80's.
Zimmerman hit a solo blast in the sixth inning to break a scoreless tie.
In the top of the seventh inning, New Paltz had runners on first and second with no outs with a single and an error but Smith struck out the next batter and forced an infield grounder that the Brockport defense turned into an inning-ending double play.
Brockport threatened to score again in the seventh with a Mike Goldstein (Slingerlands, NY/Guilderland) hit and a walk to Mike DeGregory (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) but a strange doubleplay with Goldstein thrown out at second and DeGregory thrown out at the plate ended the inning.
In the top of the eighth, Smith struck out the side making quick work of the Hawks before Brockport rallied for five runs in the eighth to break open the close game.
In the eighth, Max Keado (Troy, NY/Catholic Central) led off with a walk and Corey Booth (Middletown, NY/Minisink Valley) reached base on a sacrifice bunt attempt with a throwing error. Mike Weakley (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) hit a one-out single to score Keado and Kyle Tracy (Plainview, NY/Bethpage) singled to score Booth. With two outs, Tom McCormick (Utica, NY/Utica Notre Dame) doubled to force home two runs and scored one batter later as Goldstein singled but was thrown out at second to end the inning.
McCormick and Goldstein each had two hits for Brockport.
