SALISBURY, MD. – The nationally 10th-ranked Cortland baseball team opened its 2024 season with an 8-3 loss at nationally second-ranked Salisbury University.
 
The teams continue their three-game weekend series Saturday at 1 p.m., followed by a game Sunday at noon.
 
Cortland trailed 4-0 before cutting the Sea Gulls lead to 4-3 with three runs in the top of the fifth on a JJ DeLawder (Hyde Park/Franklin D. Roosevelt) pinch-hit RBI double, a Jon Munoz (Yorktown Heights/Yorktown) RBI single and a Nick Chemotti (Syracuse/West Genesee) RBI fielder's choice. Salisbury, however, plated two runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.
 
Chris Bonacci (Syracuse/West Genesee) finished 3-for-5 and Mat Bruno (Rye) went 2-for-4 with a double for Cortland. Devin Georgetti (Rochester/Gates Chili) started and took the loss after allowing five hits, three walks and four runs in two and a third innings. He struck out four batters.
 
Salisbury was led offensively by Kyle Brex, who finished 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs. Tim Petrucelli hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and Dylan Winebrenner was 2-for-3 with two walks and an RBI. Tyler Villa started and allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk in four and a third innings. Cole Williams earned the win after throwing the final four and two thirds innings, allowing no runs on two hits with a walk and four strikeouts.