ONEONTA, N.Y. - Behind a dominant outing from starting pitcher Warren Miller (Plattsburgh) and a late home run from Logan Karwowski (Clay/Cicero-North Syracuse), the Cortland baseball team defeated SUNYAC rival Oneonta, 6-4, in the first game of a three-game series at Oneonta.
 
Cortland improves to 25-8-1 overall and 15-1 in SUNYAC play, while Oneonta falls to 19-17 and 7-9 in conference. The teams are scheduled to play one game Saturday at 10 a.m., with the third game of the series slated for Sunday at 11 a.m.
 
Miller was outstanding on the mound. The left-hander threw seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out a career-high 12 batters and walking three. He took a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh inning before allowing a Joseph Monserrat leadoff single. Miller, however, received a no decision as Oneonta rallied to tie the game at 4-4 with four runs in the eighth.
 
Cortland gave Miller early support, scoring in each of the first two innings. In the first, Lucas Granger (Horseheads) walked and advanced to third on a double by Trey McGowan (Blue Point/Bayport-Blue Point) before scoring on an RBI groundout by Tristan Gatchalian (Manorville/Eastport-South Manor). The Red Dragons added another run in the second when Anthony Carlo (North/Bellmore St. Anthony's) doubled and later came home on a sacrifice fly by Danny Jackson (Lagrangeville/Arlington) to make it 2-0.
 
Cortland extended its lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. Granger again sparked the offense with a walk, and after McGowan reached, Gatchalian delivered an RBI single to center, netting his second RBI of the game. The Red Dragons added what proved to be a key insurance run in the eighth inning when Talon Elkins (Syracuse/West Genesee) walked, moved up on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on an RBI single by Carlo to push the lead to 4-0.
 
However, Oneonta mounted a sudden rally in the bottom of the eighth after Miller exited the game. The hosts' four-run inning was highlighted by a two-run double from Sean Clinton and RBI contributions from Joseph Monserrat and Zachary Rowe.
 
Cortland responded immediately in the top of the ninth. Karwowski led off the inning with a solo home run to left field to regain the lead. Later in the inning, Granger singled and eventually scored on an RBI single by Elkins to extend the advantage to 6-4.
 
Ryan McLaughlin (Warwick/Warwick Valley) earned the win in relief, improving to 7-1 on the season after recording the final five outs and stopping the Oneonta rally. He entered in the eighth with one out and runners on first and second with the game tied and induced a flyout and groundout, and he gave up just one single in the ninth.
 
At the plate, Granger led the way by reaching base four times, scoring three runs and collecting two hits. Gatchalian finished with two hits and two RBI, while Carlo added three hits and an RBI. McGowan also recorded two hits as Cortland totaled 12 hits as a team. Elkins added an RBI and reached base twice.
 
Matt Sandoval was 2-for-4 for Oneonta. Starting pitcher Zachary Rowe allowed three runs in five innings. Lukas Jachens, Oneonta's third reliever, took the loss after giving up the two runs in the ninth.