CORTLAND, N.Y. – Jackson Reed hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the top of the eighth inning of the nine-inning first game, and Nolan Sparks pitched a two-hit shutout in the seven-inning nightcap, as the University of Rochester defeated host Cortland, 7-6 and 8-0, in the season-opening doubleheader for both teams. 
 
The game marked the first time in at least 30 years, if not longer, that Cortland opened its season at home, and March 17 marks the earliest that the Red Dragons have played their first home game in that span. 
 
Cortland will host Alfred State on Sunday at noon in a makeup doubleheader from last weekend. 
 
Rochester 7, Cortland 6 
 
Cortland rallied from a 6-1 deficit after four innings to tie the game, but Rochester scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth and held on for the victory. 
 
Jon Turk started for the guests and allowed two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts in five innings. Trevor Van Allen, the second of three U of R relievers, earned the win after allowing two hits and not being charged with any runs in the bottom of the seventh. He was the pitcher of record when Rochester took the lead for good. Spencer Rojahn gave up only one hit and fanned two over two scoreless frames for the save. 
 
Cortland lost despite out-hitting Rochester, 12-8. James Varian (Hopewell Junction/Trinity-Pawling) finished 3-for-5, Andrew Michalski (Buffalo/St. Francis) was 2-for-4 with three RBI, and Mat Bruno (Rye) and Scott Giordano (Croton-on-Hudson/Croton-Harmon) each went 2-for-5 with an RBI for the Red Dragons. 
 
Josh Leadam was 2-for-4 with four RBI, including a three-run homer in his first collegiate at-bat, and Reed went 3-for-4 with two RBI for the Yellowjackets. Aaron Whitley ended 2-for-5 with an RBI. 
 
Shane Mugnolo (Howard Beach/Xaverian) started for Cortland and allowed four runs, three earned, in two and a third innings. Spencer Weyand (Hornell) registered the best outing of the Red Dragons' four relievers, giving up only two hits and no walks and fanning three in four scoreless innings. 
 
Cortland led 1-0 in the first on a Bruno RBI double, but Leadem's three-run homer in the second put the guests ahead, 3-1, and Whitley hit a solo shot in the third to extend the lead to 4-1. Rochester added two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Leadam and Reed. 
 
The hosts chipped away at their deficit with a Giordano RBI single in the fifth, and closed to within one on Michalski's two-out, three-run double in the sixth. The Red Dragons tied the game in the seventh on a Ben Rhodes (Amsterdam) RBI single. In the eighth for Rochester, Luke Piontek walked with two outs and went to second on a wild pitch. Reed followed with a double to left center to score pinch runner Luke Gregory. Cortland's only baserunner the rest of the way was on a Varian two-out single in the bottom of the ninth. 
 
Rochester 8, Cortland 0

Sparks struck out eight batters and walked just one over his seven-inning shutout. He retired the first nine batters he faced before allowing an AJ Fenton (Kings Park) leadoff single in the fourth, and the only other hit he gave up was a Giordano leadoff double in the seventh. 
 
Cortland starter Brandon Buchan (Seaford/MacArthur) gave up five runs, three earned, on four hits and a walk in two innings. Liam Krasney (Greenville) was strong in relief, permitting only one hit and no walks and striking out two in four innings. 
 
A hit batter, a Joseph Rende single and an error led to two Rochester runs in the first, and the Yellowjackets tallied three in the third on a Rende RBI single and a John Moses two-run single. Rochester completed its scoring in the seventh on a Whitley RBI double, a pair of wild pitches, and a Jacob Matzat run-scoring single. Whitley finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs and Rende was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs.