CHENECTADY, N.Y. — The Brockport baseball team showcased resilience and determination Friday at Central Park "A" Diamond during the Empire 8 Conference Championship Tournament. Facing elimination to begin the day, the Golden Eagles earned a 5-1 victory over No. 4 Utica University before their postseason run came to a close in a tightly contested 10-9 setback against No. 3 St. John Fisher.
Game One: Brockport 5, Utica 1
With the season on the line, Brockport received a dominant performance from Camden Schaffer on the mound. The right-hander tossed a complete game, allowing just one run on eight hits while striking out eight across nine innings to lead the Golden Eagles past the Pioneers.
Brockport struck first in the opening inning when Blake Fortunato delivered an RBI single to right field, scoring Evan Brock for the game's first run. The Golden Eagles added to their advantage in the fourth inning as Michael Norton produced a two-RBI single before Cole Grazioplene crossed the plate on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 4-0.
Matthew Coon added another run in the fifth with a solo home run to left field. Utica answered with a solo homer in the sixth, but Schaffer settled in and closed out the contest by retiring the side in the ninth inning to secure the victory and keep Brockport's tournament hopes alive.
Game Two: St. John Fisher 10, Brockport 9
Brockport battled throughout a back-and-forth contest against St. John Fisher in the elimination matchup for a berth in the Empire 8 Championship.
The Golden Eagles took an early 3-1 lead in the first inning behind a three-run home run from Matthew Coon, who finished the game with two home runs and five RBIs. Michael Norton also turned in a standout performance at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a double and a home run.
Brockport carried a 5-2 advantage into the sixth inning before the Cardinals rallied to even the score. St. John Fisher then used a five-run eighth inning on five hits to take a 10-5 lead.
The Golden Eagles mounted one final push in the ninth inning. Norton connected on a two-run homer to narrow the deficit before Coon followed with his second two-run home run of the game, bringing Brockport within one run. The comeback attempt ultimately fell short, however, as the Cardinals recorded the game's final out to secure the 10-9 victory.
Brockport concludes the 2026 season with a 22-21 overall record, including an impressive 17-5 mark in Empire 8 play. Despite falling just short of the conference championship game, the Golden Eagles closed the season with strong momentum and valuable postseason experience heading into the 2027 campaign.
