CORTLAND, N.Y. - Cortland rode dominant pitching performances and great defensive play to an 11-1 win over visiting Canton in the opening game of a SUNYAC three-game series. The Red Dragons improved to 15-7-1 overall and 7-0 in conference play, while the Roos dropped to 8-11 overall and 0-4 in the league.
 
Cortland's pitching staff set the tone early and never allowed Canton to get into a rhythm. Starter Warren Miller (Plattsburgh) and relievers Zack Zarrilli (Farmingdale) and Anthony Sampo (Syracuse/Westhill) combined to hold the Roos to just three hits and one run while striking out five. Miller faced the minimum through the first three innings and allowed only limited traffic on the bases throughout the afternoon. The lone hit he allowed came in the fifth inning and he finished with five scoreless innings with four strikeouts and two walks to earn his fourth win of the season.
 
The defense backed up the pitching effort all game, highlighted by a great play in the fourth inning. With two outs, Tristan Gatchalian (Manorville/Eastport-South Manor) fielded a ground ball at third base and, from his knees, fired a strike across the diamond to first for the out, ending the inning and preserving a three-run lead.
 
Cortland took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Anthony Carlo (North Bellmore/St. Anthony's) singled, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Logan Karwowski (Clay/Cicero-North Syracuse) RBI single.

The Red Dragons added two more runs in the third. Danny Jackson (Lagrangeville/Arlington) walked to start the inning and Trey McGowan (Blue Point/Bayport-Blue Point) followed with a bunt single. Jackson scored on a throwing error after Lucas Granger (Horseheads) reached on a bunt single. Nolan Smith (Hamburg) later added a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 3-0.
 
Jack McFerran (Selkirk/Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk) pushed the lead to 4-0 in the fourth with a solo home run to right-center. Canton scored its only run in the sixth on a Eliezer Vazquez sacrifice fly, but Cortland responded immediately with a five-run bottom of the inning to break the game open. Granger delivered a two-run single up the middle, Smith followed with a two-run single, and Talon Elkins (Syracuse/West Genesee) added an RBI single to give Cortland a 9-1 advantage. The Red Dragons added two more runs in the eighth to go up 10 and hit the SUNYAC 10-run rule.
 
Granger finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, Smith went 2-for-3 with three RBI, and Carlo was 2-for-3 with two runs, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. McGowan added two hits and two runs scored. Cortland totaled 13 hits, to combine with their pitching and defense, which limited Canton's opportunities and controlled the game from start to finish.
 
Chris McLean went 1-for-3 with a walk for the Roos. Starter Adam Cook allowed a run on three hits in two innings and took the loss.
 
The teams will continue the three-game SUNYAC series with a doubleheader at Wallace Field on Saturday starting at 12 p.m.