NEW PALTZ, N.Y. - The Cortland baseball team completed a three-game SUNYAC sweep of SUNY New Paltz with a 7-3 win on the road Sunday afternoon. Cortland improved to 13-7-1 overall and 6-0 in conference play, while New Paltz dropped to 7-8 overall and 1-3 in the SUNYAC.
 
Cortland set the tone early, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning when senior Lucas Granger (Horseheads), who had singled to start the rally, scored on a RBI groundout by junior Nolan Smith (Hamburg). The Red Dragons extended the lead in the third inning with three runs on four hits. Granger doubled and later scored on a Tristan Gatchalian (Manorville/Eastport-South Manor) RBI single. Smith followed with a base hit, and junior Logan Karwowski (Clay/Cicero-North Syracuse) capped the inning with a two-run single to give Cortland a 4-0 advantage.
 
New Paltz responded in the bottom of the third with a two-run rally on four hits to cut the deficit to 4-2, highlighted by RBI singles from Wallace Kirkpatrick and Tommy Poggi. Cortland answered in the fourth inning when Karwowski lifted a sacrifice fly to score Gatchalian and make it 5-2.
 
The Hawks added a run in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 5-3, but Cortland's pitching staff settled in from there. After allowing three runs through the first four innings, the Red Dragons held New Paltz scoreless over the final five frames.
 
Cortland added insurance runs in the eighth inning. Smith led off with a double, and later in the inning sophomore Jack McFerran (Selkirk/Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk) delivered an RBI single. Junior Nick Vendola (White Plains) followed with an RBI single to extend the lead to 7-3.
 
Granger led Cortland offensively, finishing 3-for-4 with two doubles, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Gatchalian also had a big day, going 4-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored. Karwowski added two hits and three RBI, while Smith recorded two hits, including a double, and drove in a run.
 
On the mound, sophomore Talon Elkins (Syracuse/West Genesee) got the start and worked into the fourth inning. He allowed three runs on five hits in three and two thirds innings. Graduate student Connor Hayden (Aliso Viejo, CA/Aliso Niguel) earned the win with strong middle relief, giving up just two hits and one walk with two strikeouts in four and a third scoreless innings. Senior Tommy Lynch (West Seneca/Canisius), Cortland's final reliever, entered with two on and one out in the ninth and recorded a flyout and strikeout to earn the save.
 
New Paltz was led by Tommy  Poggi, who went 3-for-4 with a double and RBI. Wallace Kirkpatrick added an RBI single, and Fabian Apicella and Matt Sarni each recorded a hit. Sarni also started on the mound and allowed five runs in three and a third innings.
 
The Red Dragons will look to carry this momentum back to Cortland as they play a non-league game against Rochester at Wallace Field this Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.