EWING, N.J. - Cortland scored a run in the top of the eighth inning and defeated host The College of New Jersey, 2-1, in the opening game of a non-league doubleheader. The Lions earned a split on the day with a 5-1 win over the Red Dragons in the nightcap.

Cortland (8-6) will open SUNYAC play at home next Friday and Saturday with doubleheaders versus Fredonia and Buffalo State.

Cortland 2, TCNJ 1 (8 inn.)

Sam Van Dorn (Medford/Patchogue-Medford) earned the victory in relief to improve to 5-1 on the season. She entered to start the bottom of the sixth with the score tied 1-1 and allowed only one hit and no walks in three scoreless innings. Alexandrea Flint (Dalton/Keshequa) tossed five solid innings as the starter with five hits, one walk and one run allowed and two strikeouts. TCNJ's Sam Platt went all eight innings and gave up two runs on eight hits and one walk. She struck out five.

Cortland took a 1-0 lead on Skyler Hoyt's (Endicott/Union-Endicott) leadoff homer in the bottom of the second inning. She finished 2-for-3 with a homer and double. The Lions tied the game on a one-out homer by Annalise Suitovsky in the bottom of the fifth.

Cortland had a great scoring chance go by the boards in the sixth. Kelly O'Gorman (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) reached via an error to start the inning and moved to third on a Mikayla Shade (Glenmont/Bethlehem) double, but Platt induced two pop-outs and struck out a batter to keep the game tied.

The Red Dragons broke through in the eighth when Andrea Schoonmaker (Marlboro) led off with a double, advanced to third on an O'Gorman flyout and scored on a Shade grounder. Shade was safe on the play due to an error, and the Red Dragons eventually loaded the bases on Hoyt's double and a Kaleigh Churchill (Camillus/West Genesee) walk. Cortland couldn't capitalize, however, as the next two hitters hit into fielder's choice force outs.

Van Dorn allowed a one-out Madison Levine single in the bottom of the eighth, but a pop-out and groundout ended the games. The teams did not use the NCAA tiebreaker rule (placing a runner on second to start the inning) in the eighth.

In addition to Hoyt's 2-for-3 outing, Rosie Phillips (Geneva/Our Lady of Mercy) also went 2-for-3 with two doubles and Shade was 2-for-4 with a double. Levine finished 2-for-3 with a walk for TCNJ.

TCNJ 5, Cortland 1

TCNJ took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third and that advantage held as for the second straight game Cortland left eight runners on base, seven in scoring position.

Sara Bielamowicz earned the win out of the bullpen with an inning and two thirds of no-hit ball, although she did walk three and allow one run. Starter Kristen Barrera pitched three and a third scoreless innings, but was pulled in the fourth with two runners on and didn't meet the four-inning requirement to earn the win. Platt came in with two on and nobody out in the top of the sixth with the Lions up 4-0 and allowed only one hit and no runs over two innings for the save.

Jamie Lachall (Philadelphia, PA/Sun Valley) went the distance for Cortland and is 2-2 on the season. She allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits over six innings with one walk.

Niki Barbato (East Meadow/Holy Trinity) finished 3-for-3 with a double and Churchill was 1-for-2 with a walk to lead the Cortland offense. Jess McGuire finished 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Lions, with Jess Santelli going 2-for-2 with an RBI.

TCNJ's three-run third was highlighted by a McGuire RBI single, a Gaby Bennett RBI groundout, and a Santelli run-scoring infield single. The hosts added a run in the fifth on another McGuire RBI hit.

Cortland left runners on second and third in both the second and fourth innings. The Red Dragons finally broke through in the sixth when Hoyt and Churchill led off with walks. Barbato singled to load the bases and Stephanie Tirone (Williamsville/Williamsville South) hit a sac fly to right to score Hoyt. Platt, however, got a lineout and groundout to end the threat. Levine hit a solo homer in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 5-1, and Platt retired Cortland in order in the seventh.