CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland jumped out to a 7-0 lead after four innings and the nationally 22nd-ranked Red Dragons defeated visiting Mt. St. Mary College, 8-4, in a non-league matchup.

Senior Khyle Dimino (Brighton), junior Alex Coffey (Hilton) and senior Shawn Bailey (Webster/Webster Schroeder) each finished 2-for-3 as part of a 13-hit attack for the Red Dragons (16-6). Junior Jason Simone (Utica/Thomas R. Proctor) went 1-for-3 with a homer and two RBI, senior Damon Arnold (Wellsville) was 1-for-2 with an RBI and junior Dan Kaplan (Penfield) finished 1-for-3 with a walk.

Junior Travis Ratliff (Levittown/Division Avenue) started and allowed two hits and no walks with six strikeouts in four innings. It was predetermined by Cortland's coaches that the Red Dragons would use at least three pitchers since Ratliff was on a pitch count, so Ratliff was awarded the victory since he remained the pitcher of record after he left the game.

Junior Kris Gentzke (Clarence/Clarence Center) gave up two hits and one run and struck out two in three innings of relief. Senior Ed Southworth (Cortland), the Red Dragons' third reliever, retired the side in order in the ninth with one strikeout.

Louis Peisel (Brewster/JFK Catholic) went 3-for-4 with a homer and three RBI to lead the visiting Blue Knights (3-14). Michael Matuk (Poughkeepsie/Arlington) finished 2-for-4. Frank Snyder (Wallkill) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs, six earned, in four innings. Matthew Senzamici (West Babylon) and Dan McCrea (Hicksville/Holy Trinity) each pitched two innings in relief and allowed only a combined one run on three hits and two walks to keep Mt. St. Mary in the game.

Cortland scored two in the first on an Andersen Gardner (Fairport) RBI single and a Dimino RBI triple. In the second, Coffey led off with a single and moved to second on an Arnold sacrifice. Kaplan then singled, and a misplay by the center fielder allowed Coffey to score. Matt June (Colonie) followed with a double, Steve Nickel (Lake Ronkonkoma/Sachem North) walked and Simone grounded out to first with the bases loaded to drive in Kaplan.

Dimino led off the third with a bunt single, eventually stole both second and third and scored after a wild pickoff throw to first by Snyder. Kevin Jackson (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham), who went to second on the failed pickoff, took third on a Coffey single and scored on Arnold's fielder's choice. Simone's solo homer to left center extended the lead to 7-0 in the fourth.

Mt. St. Mary got on the board in the seventh when Peisel led off with a double and eventually scored on a John Conroy (Middletown/John S. Burke Catholic) RBI single. In the eighth, Thomas McNoble (Breezy Point/Xavier) and Matuk reached on out-out singles and Peisel hit a two-run homer to left center.

Cortland added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. Bailey led off with a double, went to third on a groundout and scored on Jeff Wiltsie's (Oneonta) sacrifice fly.

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