MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Cortland scored 16 runs over the final five innings as the nationally fourth-ranked Red Dragons defeated Eastern University (Pa.), 17-1, to complete their four-game Myrtle Beach trip. Cortland improved to 5-1 with the win, while the Eagles dropped to 0-2.
Sophomore Donny Castaldo (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) finished 3-for-6 with two RBI and junior P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT) was 2-for-5 with a hit-by-pitch, three RBI and three runs scored. Freshman Keith Andrews (Commack) and freshman Conrad Ziemendorf (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) each were 2-for-2 off the bench. Andrews drove in two runs and scored twice and Ziemendorf scored twice and also drew a walk.
Junior Michael DeCarr (Syracuse/Westhill) also contributed off the bench by going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Cortland finished the game with 16 hits, all singles.
The teams were tied 1-1 after four innings before Cortland grabbed the lead with a four-run fifth. The Red Dragons added singles runs in each of the next two innings, then broke the game open with four runs in the eighth and six in the ninth.
Senior Zachary Badanes (Syosset) earned a no-decision after pitching the first three innings. He allowed four hits, no walks and one run and struck out one. Junior Brandon Nemeti (Lancaster) earned the win with two innings of one-hit ball. He walked one and struck out one.
Cortland's bullpen pitched six scoreless innings. In addition to Nemeti's two frames, sophomore Ryan McAlary (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River), junior Steve Komanecky (Auburn), junior Steven Kimmelman (Riverhead) and senior Kyle Barkley (Penn Yan) each threw one inning. Kimmelman and Barkley each struck out two batters. McAlary stuck out one and allowed no baserunners. Komanecky walked one and gave up one hit, Kimmelman allowed a hit and Barkley walked one.
Angelo Kelly finished 3-for-5 and Joe Grato was 2-for-4 for Eastern. Starter Ernie Stiegler took the loss after giving up five runs in four and a third innings.
A John Adornetto (Commack) sacrifice fly, a Rinaldi RBI single and Castaldo's two-run single provided the runs in the tiebreaking fourth.
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