SALISBURY, MD. – Cortland's first five hitters in the lineup went a combined 15-for-25 with three walks, 14 RBI and 14 runs scored as the nationally second-ranked Red Dragons defeated Widener University, 17-10, in a non-league baseball game at Salisbury University's Baseball Stadium.
Cortland (2-0) will wrap up its three-game weekend series Sunday at noon versus top-ranked Salisbury. The Red Dragons beat the Sea Gulls, 7-3, on Friday. Widener dropped to 0-4 and is playing Salisbury Saturday afternoon.
Mat Bruno (Rye) finished 3-for-6 with a homer, triple, seven RBI and three runs scored.
Scott Giordano (Croton-on-Hudson/Croton-Harmon) went 4-for-5 with a walk, three RBI and two runs and
Hunter Holliday (Camden) was 3-for-3 with two doubles, two walks, a sacrifice, an RBI and five runs scored.
Danny Coleman (Saratoga Springs) finished 3-for-6 with a double, RBI and run scored, and
Matthew Krafft (Cornwall) was 2-for-5 with two RBI and three runs.
Kyle Brex led Widener with a 5-for-6 effort. He homered, doubled twice, drove in three runs and scored four times. Bryce Fremgen went 3-for-4 with a double, two walks and two RBI and Anthony Boccio was 3-for-5 with a double, walk and three runs scored.
The teams combined for 32 hits – 18 by Cortland. Widener also drew 10 walks (three intentional), while Cortland drew five walks.
Widener led 7-5 after two innings after a five-run bottom of the second that included a Brex two-run double. The teams each scored once in the third, and Cortland took a 9-8 lead with three in the fourth. Giordano singled in the first run in that frame and Bruno followed with a two-run homer.
The Red Dragons added three in the fifth on a Krafft RBI single, Holliday RBI double and Giordano run-scoring single. Cortland led 13-9 entering the ninth add some insurance on a Bruno three-run double and
Paul Franzese (Somers) RBI single.
Patrick Dalton (Bethpage), Cortland's second reliever, was the pitcher of record when the Red Dragons took the lead for good and earned the win. He gave up one hit, three walks and one run with three strikeouts in two and two thirds innings.
Brendan Disonell (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) tossed three scoreless innings of relief from the sixth through eighth innings, striking out three and allowing a hit and two walks. Widener starter Liam Nihill took the loss after giving up nine runs, five earned, in three and a third innings.
