SALISBURY, MD. – The nationally fourth-ranked Cortland baseball team opened its season with a doubleheader split at ninth-ranked Salisbury University.
The Red Dragons rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth in a 4-3 win in the nine-inning opener. In the nightcap, which was scheduled for seven innings, Salisbury (4-1) overcame a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the sixth and eventually won, 4-3, with a run in the bottom of the ninth.
Cortland senior shortstop John Adornetto (Commack) finished a combined 6-for-8 at the plate in the twinbill, including a 4-for-4 effort in the opener.
Game 1: Cortland 4, Salisbury 3
Salisbury scored single runs in the first two innings off Cortland senior John Molloy (Franklin Square/Carey) to take a 2-0 lead. Quinn Griffith singled in a run in the first inning. In the second frame, Evan Graci led off with a double and eventually scored on a groundout.
Cortland recorded six hits and four walks over the first seven innings but managed to score only once in that stretch. In the third, senior Zack Graczyk (Carmel) led off with a single, moved to second on a groundout, took third on an Adornetto infield single and scored on junior Max Rosing's (Rockville Centre/South Side) fielder's choice grounder. Salisbury extended its lead to 3-1 on a Ken O'Neill squeeze bunt in the sixth.
Cortland's go-ahead rally in the eighth started with an Adornetto single through the right side. Rosing was hit by a pitch and junior P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT) bunted Adornetto and pinch runner James Quinn (Guilderland) to second and third. Senior Brian Barry's (Nesconset/Smithtown East) single to shortstop drove in Adornetto and junior Tim Panetta (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) tied the game with an RBI single to center. Later in the inning, Barry scored from third on a two-out passed ball to give the Red Dragons the lead.
Senior Kyle Barkley (Penn Yan), Cortland's third reliever of the game, allowed no runs over the final three innings for the victory. He gave up a hit and a walk and struck out one. In addition to Adornetto's 4-for-4 performance, Panetta went 2-for-3, Barry was 2-for-5 and Graczyk finished 1-for-3 with two walks.
Andrew Levy took a no-decision for Salisbury after pitching the first seven innings. He allowed six hits and four walks and was charged with one run. Nick Gentry was 1-for-2 at the plate with two walks and a run scored.
Game 2: Salisbury 4, Cortland 3 (9 inn.)
Cortland scored a run in the first on an RBI groundout by freshman Conrad Ziemendorf (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) and added a run in the fourth on junior Bryan Marotta's (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa) RBI single.
Salisbury managed just two baserunners on a hit and a walk off Cortland senior starter Mike Hughes (Albany), and both of those runners were eventually picked off second base. Hughes finished with five strikeouts before being pulled two outs into the fourth inning.
In the sixth, the Sea Gulls opened with a Bobby Sanzone line drive single that ricocheted off Cortland reliever Steven Kimmelman (Riverhead). Bill Root followed with a double and Gentry greeted reliever Ryan McAlary (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River) with a two-run single through the left side to tie the game. Gentry moved to second on a Griffith sacrifice bunt, took third on a foul flyout to right and scored on O'Neill's RBI single to put Salisbury ahead 3-2.
Cortland rallied to tie the game in the top of the seventh and nearly took the lead. Sophomore Donny Castaldo (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) led off with a walk and Adornetto singled. The runners moved up on a wild pitch, and a Rinaldi walk loaded the bases with no outs. Salisbury was able to get Rosing to ground into a double play, although the tying run did score and Adornetto went to third. Senior Ralph Keppler (Rockville Centre/Oceanside) then hit a flare over second base that looked like it might drop, but second baseman Johnny Schiotis made a diving catch to preserve the tie.
Junior Cody Petre (Silver Springs/Letchworth) entered in the bottom of the seventh and retired the side in order. He escaped a first-and-third jam with two outs in the eighth by inducing a flyout, but got into trouble in the ninth after walking Johnny Hayman with one out. Schiotis followed with a sacrifice bunt and was safe on an error, and Sanzone ended the game with an RBI single to center that plated Hayman from second.
Adornetto and Rinaldi each went 2-for-4 for Cortland. Sanzone finished the game 2-for-4, while Brett Collacchi earned the win due to recording the final out in the top of the ninth on the only batter he faced.
Cortland will play four games next weekend at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Red Dragons will face Manhattanville Friday at 4 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday versus Staten Island Saturday at 10 a.m. and a single game Sunday at 9 a.m. versus Eastern University (Pa.).