CORTLAND, N.Y. – Sophomore
Courtney Kadish's (Williamsville/Williamsville North) one-out, bases-loaded single capped a two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh as Cortland defeated Elmira, 3-2, to complete a sweep of a non-league doubleheader.
The Red Dragons (22-14) won the opening game, 11-2 in five innings. Elmira, which entered ranked third in the latest NCAA Div. III Northeast Region rankings, dropped to 23-11 with the losses.
Game 1: Cortland 11, Elmira 2 (5 inn.) (Box Score)
Amber Corrigan (Montgomery/Valley Central) earned the win with five innings of three-hit ball. She walked one, struck out one and gave up two runs, one earned. The game was called after the top of the fifth due to the eight-run rule.
Erin Wolstenholme (Oneonta) finished 3-for-3 with a double, four RBI and two runs and
Diane Cork (Wayland/Wayland-Cohocton) went 3-for-3 with two runs. Kadish and
Nicole Gallo (Mount Sinai) each drove in two runs.
Elmira scored twice in the fifth on a Jacquelyn Heggie RBI single and an error after a stolen base that allowed Heggie to score from third. Alex Puglisi suffered the loss after allowing seven hits and nine runs, six earned, in three innings.
Cortland scored five times in the third on a Gallo RBI single, a Wolstenholme three-run double and a Kadish RBI groundout. The Red Dragons broke the game open with six runs in the fourth.
Lucia Meola (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) singled in a run,
Cassie Kardias (Shrub Oak/Lakeland) drew a bases-loaded walk and Gallo drove in a run with a groundout. Wolstenhome then singled in a run, and Kardias also scored on the play when she took off from third and caught Elmira off guard. A Kadish RBI groundout completed the scoring.
Game 2: Cortland 3, Elmira 2 (Box Score)
Trailing 2-1, Cortland started its winning rally in the seventh with a Meola walk, an
Alicia Hibbard (Canastota) single to center and a Kardias single to the pitcher. Elmira starter Katie Hobson was replaced by Puglisi, who walked Gallo to force in the tying run. The Soaring Eagles recorded a force out at home on a ball hit to second for the first out, but Kadish ended the game with a deep drive to left center over a drawn-in outfield for what officially is recorded as a game-winning single.
Cortland took the lead in the second. The Red Dragons loaded the bases with one out on a Wolstenholme walk, a Kadish single and a
Briana Barca (Eastchester) hit-by-pitch. Pinch hitter
Beth Lamison (Liverpool) singled through the right side to drive in Wolstenholme. A bigger inning was squelched, however, on a line-out double play that ended the inning.
Cortland starter
Sarah Salamone (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) did not allow a hit through the first four and two-thirds innings. She walked Jacquelyn Heggie with two outs in the fifth and Julianne Heggie singled up the middle to end the no-hit bid. Katie Dore then singled through the left side to drive in the tying run.
In the sixth, Elmira's leadoff hitter reached on an error and
Tiffany Sampere (Liverpool) entered in relief for the Red Dragons. Alex Andrade bunted the runner to second, Megan Anderson singled to left and Ashley Palmer hit a slow roller to short that she beat out for an RBI single and a 2-1 Elmira lead. The Soaring Eagles had the bases loaded and two outs before Wolstenholme made a nice play at short to create a fielder's choice force at third to end the inning.
Sampere earned the win with two innings of two-hit, scoreless relief. She walked one. Salamone gave up two hits and two runs, one earned, in five innings with three walks in a no decision. Hobson allowed 10 hits and three runs in six innings and took the loss.
Hibbard and Meola each finished 2-for-3 and Kadish was 2-for-4 for Cortland. Wolstenholme went 1-for-3 with a triple and walk. Julianne Heggie went 1-for-2 and Palmer and Dore were each 1-for-3 with an RBI for Elmira.
Cortland will host Nazareth in a non-league doubleheader Tuesday at 3 p.m. to complete the regular season. The Red Dragons open SUNYAC tournament play Thursday at 11 a.m. versus New Paltz at Brockport.
