PURCHASE, N.Y. – Cortland scored six times in the top of the fifth to overcome an early deficit and the nationally seventh-ranked Red Dragons (14-4) defeated host Purchase College, 8-3, in a non-league matchup. The game was recently added to the schedule and played on Purchase's new artificial turf field.

Junior Ryan McAlary (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River), the second of six Cortland pitchers, earned the win in his first decision of the season. He entered in the bottom of the third and was the pitcher of record when the Red Dragons took the lead for good in the top of the fifth. McAlary allowed just one hit and no walks in two and two-thirds scoreless innings.

Senior P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT) and senior Chris Jackson (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) each went 2-for-4 to lead a 13-hit Cortland attack. Junior Mark DeMilio (Valhalla) finished 1-for-3 with a walk.

Junior Zach Ferris (Stephentown/LaSalle Institute) started and gave up two hits and two runs, one earned, in two and a third innings. He struck out two batters. After McAlary's work, the Red Dragons got one inning apiece from sophomore Ryan Prochna (Skaneateles), senior Steven Kimmelman (Riverhead), sophomore Tyler Brien (Ilion) and junior Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk). The quartet allowed only a combined two hits and two walks – one hit and walk each by Kimmelman and Brien – and each struck out one batter. Brien allowed a run in the bottom of the eighth.

Jacob Vazquez started for Purchase (5-5) and gave up four runs on four hits and two walks in four and a third innings. Michael Skoller finished 2-for-3 with a double and Leandro Francisco was 2-for-4.

The Panthers led 1-0 in the second. John Jonas was hit by a pitch, Skoller doubled and Dan Lombardo drove in the run with a squeeze bunt. The lead grew to 2-0 in the third on an error, a steal, a groundout and a passed ball.

Senior Max Rosing (Rockville Centre/South Side) hit an RBI double in the fourth to cut the Purchase lead to 2-1. The decisive fifth inning started with a Jackson double, a Conrad Ziemendorf (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) sac bunt and a Tim Panetta (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) game-tying RBI single.

The Red Dragons loaded the bases on a DeMilio walk and a Bomasuto single, and Anthony Iacomini (South Salem/John Jay-Cross River) was hit by a pitch to force in the go-ahead run. Rinaldi then doubled home two runs, another run scored on an error on a ball hit by Rosing, and the scoring concluded for the inning on a Mitch Hollander (Woodbury/Syosset) sacrifice fly.

Cortland added a run in the eighth on an Austin Clock (Niskayuna) sacrifice fly, and Purchase posted its final run on a double-play grounder in the bottom of the inning.

Cortland is scheduled to host Plattsburgh in two games Saturday and one Sunday, but that schedule is subject to change due to field and weather conditions.

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