CORTLAND, N.Y. –
Amber Corrigan (Montgomery/Valley Central) and
Alexandrea Flint (Dalton/Keshequa) combined for a four-hit shutout in the opener and
Sarah Salamone (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) threw a four-hit shutout in the second game as Cortland swept visiting Potsdam, 8-0 and 1-0, in a SUNYAC doubleheader. The first game was called after six innings due to the eight-run rule.
Cortland improved to 21-13 overall and 12-4 in the SUNYAC. The Red Dragons are technically in first place in the league standings, although Oneonta has one less league loss (10-3). Cortland will play a non-league, makeup doubleheader at Nazareth Thursday at 3 p.m. and will complete its SUNYAC regular-season schedule Saturday at Oswego at noon.
GAME 1: Cortland 8, Potsdam 0 (6 inn.) (Box Score)Cortland scored six runs in the third inning on six of its 12 hits. The Red Dragons ended the game with two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Corrigan allowed three hits and two walks and fanned three in three innings. Flint was credited with the win after pitching the final three innings and giving up one hit and one walk with two strikeouts.
Cortland's big inning started with a
Rosie Phillips (Geneva/Our Lady of Mercy) single, a stolen base and a
Jamie Bucci (Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow) single.
Diane Cork's (Wayland/Wayland-Cohocton) sacrifice fly drove in the first run and, following a
Meaghan Kohler (Franklin, NJ/Warren Hills Regional) single,
Alicia Hibbard (Canastota) hit a two-run double to put Cortland up 3-0.
Erin Wolstenholme (Oneonta) doubled as well to drive in Hibbard.
Devynn Wilder (Oswego) hit a line drive to right that was dropped, but was still credited with a sacrifice fly and an RBI to make it 5-0. Wiilder went to third on the play and scored on
Courtney Kadish's (East Amherst/Williamsville North) RBI single to center.
Cortland created the game-ending eight-run margin on back-to-back doubles by
Briana Barca (Eastchester) and
Carrie Stoddard (Liverpool), the latter driving in a run, followed by a Bucci sac bunt and Cork's walk-off RBI single.
Potsdam threatened in the top of the first by loading the bases with no outs on a Jordan Ott single, a Noelle Rufa walk and a Katie Marsman single. Corrigan got the next batter to hit a grounder to short that led to a force out at home. She then fanned the next batter, and a groundout back to her ended the inning.
Wolstenholme finished 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI and Cork was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Hibbard drove in two runs and Phillips scored twice. Ott went 2-for-3 and Rufa walked twice for the Bears. Potsdam's Megan Johnson allowed 12 hits, one walk and eight runs, seven earned, in five and a third innings.
GAME 2: Cortland 1, Potsdam 0 (Box Score)The nightcap featured a pitcher's duel between Potsdam's Megan Briner and Salamone. Briner allowed only two hits, two walks and an unearned run over six innings. Salamone, who improved to 10-2, gave up four hits and a walk and struck out two.
Cortland scored in the third with the benefit of two errors. Bucci reached on a grounder that was misplayed by Briner to start the inning. She stole second and went to third on a Cork single. Kohler attempted a squeeze bunt but popped up to the catcher, who was able to double off Cork at first. Hibbard then hit a squibber to Briner, who was unable to make a clean play as Bucci scored.
Potsdam got a one-out double from Alexis Lerman in the first but stranded her at third. Kelly Becker walked with one out in the seventh, and pinch runner Rachel Grefke advanced to third on a throwing error to second on a fielder's choice grounder. Salamone got the next hitter to pop up to third, with Hibbard making a nice retreating over-the-shoulder catch after being in to start the play. A strikeout of the next hitter ended the game.
Lerman went 2-for-3 and Marsman and Shannon Pagliaro were each 1-for-3 for Potsdam (4-20, 3-9 SUNYAC). Cork and Hibbard were each 1-for-3 and Wilder walked twice for Cortland.
