CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 1-0 deficit as the Red Dragons defeated New Paltz, 5-3, in the opening game of a SUNYAC doubleheader. Cortland completed the sweep with a 7-6 win in the nightcap as the Red Dragons held on after taking an early 5-0 lead.
Cortland is now 18-12 overall and 11-3 in the SUNYAC. The Red Dragons are first in the league based on points scored (22), but second based on winning percentage (.786) to Brockport (10-2, .833). Cortland's final four league games are doubleheaders Friday at Brockport and Saturday at Geneseo (currently 8-4 in the conference).
Game 1: Cortland 5, New Paltz 3 (Box Score)
Cortland starter
Amber Corrigan (Montgomery/Valley Central) did not allow a hit until the fifth inning, but that hit was a leadoff homer by Chelsea Kull that gave New Paltz a 1-0 lead.
The Red Dragons' go-ahead rally in the bottom of the fifth started with one-out singles by
Courtney Kadish (Williamsville/Williamsville North),
Briana Barca (Eastchester) and pinch hitter
Nicole Gallo (Mount Sinai) that loaded the bases.
Diane Cork (Wayland/Wayland-Cohocton) singled through the right side to drive in the tying run and, with two outs,
Lucia Meola (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run.
Alicia Hibbard (Canastota) followed with a bases-clearing, three-run double to right center to put the Red Dragons up 5-1.
In the top of the sixth, Noelle Grande singled with one out and Melissa Liotta hit a two-run homer to draw New Paltz within two at 5-3. The Hawks got the next two batters on, but Corrigan registered a strikeout to end the threat and retired the side in order in the seventh.
Kadish and Barca each finished 2-for-3 for Cortland. Kull was 1-for-2 with a walk for New Paltz. Corrigan improved to 7-3 with the victory. She allowed four hits and two walks and struck out six.
GAME 2: Cortland 7, New Paltz 6 (Box Score)
Cortland grabbed a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a Cork two-run single, a
Beth Lamison (Liverpool) RBI single and a Meola two-run double. New Paltz answered with two in the third on RBI singles by Liotta and Andrea Feeney.
Gallo's two-out RBI single in the third gave Cortland a 6-2 lead, but the Hawks scored twice in the fourth on an error and a Feeney RBI infield single. The Red Dragons scored what proved to be a key run in the fifth when Meola led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Hibbard's sacrifice fly.
New Paltz stranded runners on first and third in the sixth, but broke through in the seventh. Emily Mouillesseaux and Melissa Kump led off with walks, and Shayna Burgess' one-out infield single loaded the bases. Grande singled through the left side to drive in a run, and Liotta hit into a fielder's choice that forced Burgess out at third but allowed Kump to score. With runners on first and second,
Tiffany Sampere (Liverpool) finished off her second save of the season by inducing a groundout to second.
Sarah Salamone (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) earned the win and is 5-7 this spring. She gave up four runs, two earned, on seven hits in five innings. She fanned five batters and walked two. Sampere allowed two runs on two hits in two innings. She walked four and struck out one.
Erika Traina took the loss for New Paltz (18-15, 9-7 SUNYAC). She gave up seven runs in four innings. Katie Rutcofsky did not allow any runs in two innings of three-hit relief.
Meola and Gallo each went 2-for-3 for the Red Dragons. Meola drove in two runs and walked once and Gallo had one RBI. Cork was 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Cortland is scheduled to play a makeup doubleheader at Rochester on Wednesday, April 24, at 3 p.m.
