The SUNY Oneonta baseball team fell at home today to Fredonia, 13-5, in the opening game of its three-game series against the Blue Devils.  Entering today's contest both teams needed wins to stay alive for the final SUNYAC playoff spot.  The loss for Oneonta (7-20, 4-12 SUNYAC) eliminated them from contention while Fredonia (11-17, 6-10) remains alive with two games remaining tomorrow versus the Red Dragons.
 
It was an eventful first inning of play today, as the inning lasted 37 minutes.  Fredonia came out of the inning with a 3-2 advantage, as the two teams combined for five errors that led to four unearned runs in the inning.
 
The first two batters for the Blue Devils reached via walks before a fielding and throwing error allowed one run to score while putting runners at second and third.  A sacrifice fly by Ricky Mendiola drove in the second run of the inning for Fredonia.  The final run for the Blue Devils came on an RBI single through the right side by Michael Prentice.
 
Freshman Sam Beaulac (Wynantskill/Averill Park ) got things going in the bottom of the first with a leadoff single up the middle.  The next hitter was Casey Kerdesky (Cornwall/Cornwall) and he doubled down the left field line to put runners in scoring position.  On the ensuing ground out by Casy Kies (Apalachin/Vestal), the first baseman for Fredonia threw to second base to try and catch Kerdesky off the base, which allowed Beaulac to take off for home.  The throw by the shortstop was wide of home plate and Beaulac was safe while Kerdesky went to third base.  Kerdesky then scored on a fielding error by the shortstop.
 
The Blue Devils added a single run in the second and held a 4-2 lead entering the home half of the fourth inning where Oneonta took advantage of two more errors by Fredonia that led to three runs and a 5-4 lead.
 
Junior Joe Franke (Livingston Manor/Liberty Central) reached on a throwing error by the third baseman to begin the inning for the Red Dragons.  After a strikeout, classmate LJ Gizzarelli (Newburgh/Newburgh Free Academy) doubled to left field to drive in Franke from first base.  Beaulac knocked in Gizzarelli from third with a two-out single.  Beaulac stole second, Kerdesky walked and Kies reached on an error by the shortstop, which loaded the bases.  Senior Mike Cruz (Levittown/Division Avenue) then singled through the right side to drive in the go-ahead run.
 
Senior Kyle Jordan (Levittown/Division), who came in to relieve starter Nicholas Ponesse (Newburgh/Valley Central) in the first inning, was cruising along until a dropped foul pop by the catcher with two outs prolonged the inning.  Fredonia took advantage of the miscue and scored three runs to take a 7-5 lead in the sixth inning.  The Blue Devils added three runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth for the final margin of victory.
 
Jordan took the tough loss throwing five innings allowing four hits and one earned run.
 
Bailey Gauthier picked up the win for Fredonia in relief.  He pitched 2-2/3 innings of no hit ball recording a pair of strikeouts.
 
Oneonta will conclude its series with Fredonia tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at noon.