SUNY Cortland Athletics

NCAA DIVISION III BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Auburn (NY) Regional at Falcon Park

Game 2: #1 SUNY Cortland 10, #8 Castleton State College 2

AUBURN, NY - Host and top seeded SUNY Cortland exploded for nine runs in the first four innings and turned a rare triple play in the third inning en route to a 10-2 victory over eighth seeded Castleton State College in the opening round of regional play of the 2010 NCAA Division III Championship at Falcon Park in Auburn, NY.

The Red Dragons (33-8-1), making their 19th NCAA Division III tournament appearance and 18th in a row, move on to face fifth seed Keene State College, a 1-0 winner over Skidmore College in its opening round game, in the winner's bracket on Thursday, May 20 at 4:30 pm. The Spartans (32-15), playing in their second NCAA tournament game in three years, will play Skidmore in an elimination game at 10 am.

Seven Cortland players registered hits, with three recording multiple hits, Senior third baseman Steve Nickel (LAKE RONKONKOMA, NY/Sachem North), batted 4-for-4 with a run scored and a run batted in, while junior outfielder Jason Simone (UTICA, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) batted 2-for-2 with two runs scored, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. Senior shortstop Damon Arnold (WELLSVILE, NY/Wellsville) hit 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI.

Sophomore second baseman Matt June (COLONIE, NY/Colonie) stretched his hitting streak to 21 games, going 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Junior lefthander Travis Ratliff pitched a complete game, scattering eight hits with seven strikeouts, four walks, and an earned run, to improve to 8-1 on the season.

Castleton starter Ken Cook (SPRINGFIELD, VT/Green Mountain Union) pitched four innings, yielding 10 hits, nine runs (seven earned) and a walk with a strikeout in picking up the loss (9-5).

The Red Dragons' triple play came in the top of the third inning. After Castleton put runners on base on back-to-back singles from junior first baseman Cesar De La Cruz and sophomore third baseman David Brandt (CONTOOCOOK, NH/Hopktinton). with both runners breaking, freshman second baseman Ryan Zielinski (SCHENECTADY, NY/Schenectady) lined out to first baseman John Zilinicki (RIVERHEAD, NY/Riverhead), who doubled up to put out Brandt and threw to Arnold at second base to put out De La Cruz to complete the play.

De La Cruz was the top hitter for the Spartans, batting 3-for-4 with a run scored, followed by Brandt, who finished hitting 2-for-3.