CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland and Manhattanville combined for 32 runs and 35 hits in a game that officially ended as a 16-16 tie in wet and rainy conditions at Wallace Field. The Red Dragons, ranked 11th nationally in Division III, are now 27-7-1 with their first tie since a 2-2 deadlock at Ithaca in 2005. The visiting Valiants are 16-17-1 after playing to the first tie in their program's history.

The game was called in the top of the ninth inning due to weather and playing conditions. Manhattanville had the bases loaded with no outs and no runs in when the action was halted, and the game was officially ended 18 minutes later. The game officially ends after eight completed innings in terms of final score, although all individual stats in the ninth count since they did not affect the game's outcome.

Senior Andersen Gardner (Fairport) finished 4-for-5 with a grand slam, seven RBI and three runs scored and senior Steve Nickel (Lake Ronkonkoma/Sachem North) was 4-for-4 with a double and three runs scored for Cortland. Junior Jason Simone (Utica/Thomas R. Proctor) was 2-for-5 with a double and four RBI, senior Damon Arnold (Wellsville) went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs and senior Khyle Dimino (Brighton) was 2-for-4 with a homer, walk and two RBI. Cortland finished with 17 hits.

For Manhattanville, sophomore Daniel Fiorito (Yonkers/Fordham Prep) was 3-for-4 with a double, two walks, two RBI and three runs scored to lead an 18-hit attack. Sophomore Chris Nardozzi (Poughkeepsie/Roy C. Ketcham) finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs and senior Paul Blejec (Bronx/Fordham Prep) was 3-for-6 with three RBI and two runs. Freshman catcher Johnny LoVetere (Southbury, CT/Canterbury) went 2-for-4 with three RBI and threw out all three of Cortland's potential base-stealers. Senior A.J. Triano (Harrison) was 2-for-4 with two walks, two runs and an RBI and Nick Parente (New Rochelle/Archbishop Stepinac) drove in three runs.

Cortland led 6-0 after two innings. The Red Dragons scored four in the first on RBI doubles by Simone and Adam Dimino (Honeoye Falls/Honeoye Falls-Lima) and a Khyle Dimino two-run homer. Arnold and Gardner singled in runs in the second.

Manhattanville was held hitless for the first two innings, but scored four runs on four hits in the third, including a Triano RBI single and a Fiorito two-run single. The Valiants tied the game at 6-6 in the fourth on Blejec RBI single, followed later in the inning on a double steal in which Kevin Murray (Valhalla/Archbishop Stepinac) just beat the throw to second with two outs and Blejec easily scored from third.

Gardner's grand slam down the right field line gave Cortland a 10-6 lead in the bottom of the fourth, but the Valiants answered with four runs in the top of the fifth on a Parente two-run single, a LoVetere RBI infield single and a Blejec RBI fielder's choice and the game was tied at 10-10.

Cortland took the lead again with three runs in the sixth on a Gardner two-run single and a Simone fielder's choice. Manhattanville put up a run in the seventh with an unearned run and took its first lead with five in the top of the eighth. The Valiants sent 10 batters to the plate in the eighth and scored on a Parente bases-loaded walk, a wild pitch, and three straight RBI singles by Dave Reider (Yonkers/Iona Prep), LoVetere and Blejec.

Trailing 16-13, Cortland rallied to tie the game with three runs in the bottom of the eighth. Nickel and Gardner opened the frame with singles and Simone hit a two-run double down the left field line. Simone took third on the throw home and scored on a one-out throwing error on a ground ball hit by Khyle Dimino.

In the top of the ninth, Triano led off with a walk, Nardozzi doubled and Fiorito was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. The rain and field conditions were worsening, however, and the umpires halted the game. The pitcher's mound and home plate area were covered for almost 20 minutes before the game was finally stopped.

Scott Hartling (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) started for Cortland, relieved by Mike Assmann (Auburn) in the fifth inning. Assmann pitched the next three and two-third innings. Both pitchers allowed eight runs on eight hits. A.J. Marini (Fair Lawn, NJ/Paramus Catholic) gave up 11 hits and 10 runs in four and a third innings and Chad Wallace (Yorktown Heights/Yorktown) gave up three hits and three runs in two and two third innings.

Cortland will host Hamilton College in a single game on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

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