AUBURNDALE, FLA. – The Cortland softball team opened its 2014 season with victories over Waynesburgh University, 9-0 in five innings, and Marietta College, 4-1, at the Rebel Spring Games.

The Red Dragons, tied for fourth nationally in Div. III, used a combined one-hitter by Amber Corrigan (Montgomery/Valley Central) and Sarah Salamone (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) to defeat Waynesburg. Cortland then rallied to score the tying run in the sixth and three go-ahead runs in the seventh to beat Marietta.

Cortland will face Montclair State, ranked second nationally, and Simpson (Iowa) on Monday in Winter Haven, Fla.


Cortland 9, Waynesburg 0 (5 inn.) (Box Score)

Corrigan opened the game with four hitless innings. She allowed only one baserunner when she hit Ashley Clark to lead off the top of the first, but Clark was caught stealing.

Salamone retired the first two batters she faced in the fifth and was one out away from completing the combined no-hitter when Jenna Dorazio beat out a grounder to short for an infield single. Salamone struck out the next hitter to end the game, which was called due to the eight-run rule.

Cortland registered 13 hits in its four innings at the plate. Jamie Bucci (Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow) was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. Alicia Hibbard (Canastota) finished 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI and Diane Cork (Wayland/Wayland-Cohocton) was 2-for-3 with a triple and RBI.

Cork led off the bottom of the first with a triple and scored on a Bucci RBI single. Bucci stole second and scored on a two-out error. The Red Dragons added four runs in the second on Leah Saavedra (Walworth/Wayne Central) and Bucci RBI singles and Hibbard's two-run double off the fence in straightaway center.

Cortland's third inning featured back-to-back RBI singles by Cork and Bucci. Makaylee Dowd (Saratoga Springs) completed the scoring with an RBI double in the bottom of the fourth.


Cortland 4, Marietta 1 (Box Score)

Marietta took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Michelle Kelley walked, was bunted to second by Sarah Mayo and scored on Kelsey Kallenborn's RBI single. The Pioneers, however, left 10 runners on base during the game, including two in three of the first five innings and three in the sixth.

In the fourth, Stephanie Zentz singled, moved to second on a bunt and took third on a Brittany Curry single. Brianna Finck then hit a fly ball to right and Zentz appeared to tag up and score. On appeal, however, she was ruled to have left third base early and was called out to complete a double play and keep the Marietta lead at 1-0.

Cortland tied the game in the top of the sixth on a Courtney Kadish two-out RBI single to center. After the Red Dragons escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning, they took the lead with three runs in the seventh.  Beth Lamison (Liverpool) singled and Alexandrea Flint (Dalton/Keshequa) reached on an error during a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third.

Cork walked to load the bases. A wild pitch then scored Lamison, and Flint also scored when the catcher's throw home on the play got away from the pitcher. Bucci drove in Cork with a groundout to second.

Flint started in the circle for Cortland and gave up five hits and a run in four innings. She struck out three and walked two. Jamie Lachall (Aston, PA/Sun Valley) earned the win after throwing the final three innings. She gave up four hits, one walk and no runs and struck out one. Trinityh Schlabach threw a complete game for Marietta (1-1) and allowed four runs, one earned, on six hits. She struck out one and walked two.

Lamison finished 2-for-3 and Erin Wolstenholme (Oneonta) was 2-for-4 to account for four of Cortland's six hits. Flint went 1-for-1 with a walk. Brianna Curry was 3-for-3 for the Pioneers, who finished with nine hits.