CORTLAND, N.Y. – Niki Barbato (East Meadow/Holy Trinity) went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI and Jamie Lachall (Philadelphia, PA/Sun Valley) threw a three-hitter as Cortland defeated RPI, 9-1, in the second game of a non-league doubleheader. The visiting Engineers won the opener, 6-3, behind a 3-for-4 effort by Stephanie Caudle.
 
Cortland is now 22-10 on the season. The Red Dragons will host Union Sunday at 1 p.m. in a non-conference doubleheader.
 
Game 1: RPI 6, Cortland 3 (Box Score)
 
RPI broke open a tight game with four runs in the top of the fifth and then held off a mini-rally by Cortland to earn the opening-game victory.
 
Caudle's 3-for-4 performance included a two-run single in the fourth, followed by a Jena Servidone two-run single. Servidone finished 2-for-3 and Victoria Greco was 2-for-4.
 
Kristina Weltzin went the distance for RPI, allowing six hits and three runs, two earned, in seven innings. She struck out six and walked three. Sarah Salamone (Liverpool/Cicero-North Syracuse) started for Cortland and gave up two runs, one earned, on six hits in three innings. She fanned one batter. Alexandrea Flint (Dalton/Keshequa) threw four innings and was charged with four unearned runs. She gave up six hits and one walk and struck out one.
 
Jamie Bucci (Tarrytown/Sleepy Hollow) finished 3-for-4 with two runs and Barbato was 2-for-4 and drove in all of her team's runs as they accounted for five of Cortland's six hits.
 
RPI capitalized on a dropped throw during a sac bunt in a two-run second inning. Caudle led off with a single, moved to third on the bunt and error and scored on a Jocilyn Rudisill RBI single. The second run scored on a throwing error during a steal attempt.
 
In the third, Bucci reached on an error, Diane Cork (Wayland/Wayland-Cohocton) walked and Barbato hit an RBI single through the left side. Caudle's and Servidone's two-run singles in the fourth were preceded by an error on a fielder's choice grounder that kept the inning alive.

Cortland closed to within 6-3 in the fifth when Bucci doubled and went to third on a wild pitch, Cork walked and stole second, and Barbato hit a two-run double down the left-field line. The Red Dragons, however, stranded Barbato at third and did not get a runner into scoring position in the last two innings.
 
Game 2: Cortland 9, RPI 1 (6 inn.) (Box Score)
 
Lachall ran her record to 7-2 after allowing three hits, one walk and one run in six innings. She struck out three batters. The game was called in the bottom of the sixth due to the eight-run rule.
 
Caudle provided RPI's run with a solo homer to lead off the top of the second. The Engineers (15-11) had a chance to extend the lead in the fourth. Morgan Kollmeier singled and moved to third on a pair of groundouts. Servidone then hit a ball into right center that appeared to be a hit, but center fielder Bucci made an incredible diving catch to end the inning and keep the game at 1-0.
 
Cortland quickly capitalized on that momentum when Cork led off the bottom of the fourth with her third homer of the season to tie the game at 1-1. Barbato followed with a single, and pinch runner Bianca Trio (Mahopac) stole second with one out and eventually scored on a Devynn Wilder (Oswego) bases-loaded walk.
 
The Red Dragons pushed across three runs in the fifth to go up 5-1. Barbato hit her team-leading fourth homer, a two-run shot. Mikayla Shade (Bethlehem) then singled, and pinch runner Alissa DePadua (Milford, PA/Delaware Valley) eventually scored on a wild pitch.
 
Cortland triggered the eight-run rule with its sixth inning four-run outburst. Barbato drew a bases-loaded walk, Shade drove in a run with a groundout, pinch hitter Andrea Schoonmaker (Poughkeepsie/Marlboro) singled home a run and Courtney Kadish (East Amherst/Williamsville North) ended the game with an RBI single to left.
 
Barbato was 2-for-3 with a walk, three RBI and two runs and finished the doubleheader 4-for-7 with a homer, walk, six RBI and two runs. Cork went 2-for-2 with a homer, walk, RBI and two runs and Kadish finished 1-for-2 with a walk and RBI.
 
Victoria Hepworth allowed two runs in four innings with four strikeouts and a walk for RPI.