AUBURN, N.Y. – Ithaca College's Pat Lemmo allowed two unearned runs over seven innings as the Bombers held on to defeat Cortland, 4-2, in the championship round of the NCAA Div. III Baseball New York Regional at Falcon Park.
Ithaca finished 4-0 at the double-elimination regional and advances to the NCAA Div. III World Series in Appleton, Wis., for the first time since 1994. Cortland finishes tied for ninth in the national tournament and concludes the season with a 38-11 record. The Red Dragons were making their 21st straight NCAA Div. III appearance – the longest active streak nationally.
Lemmo scattered nine hits, struck out five and did not walk anyone and is 11-0 on the season. Both he and Cortland starter Brandon McClain (Coram/Longwood) were coming off just two days rest after starting games on Wednesday. McClain allowed two hits and two runs, one earned, in two innings. He struck out two and walked two.
Ithaca scored twice in the second with a two-out rally. Luke Stark walked and Andrew Turner hit a double to deep left that scored Stark. Turner took third on the throw home and scored when the throw to third from the catcher sailed into left field.
The Bombers added a run in the third on a Max Addy pinch-hit sacrifice fly that scored Tim Henry, who had singled with one out, moved to second on a hit batter and went to third on a Corey Caswell infield single. Ithaca's lead grew to 4-0 in the sixth on a Colby Gee RBI single.
Cortland had runners on second and third with no outs in the fifth after an error and a Brian Barry (Nesconset/Smithtown East) double, but the Red Dragons were unable to score. They finally broke through in the seventh for two runs to close within 4-2. Barry reached on an error and Bryan Mistretta (Commack) was hit by a pitch. With one out, Zack Graczyk (Carmel) singled through the left side to score Barry. Chris Jackson (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) followed with a single and P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT) hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Mistretta.
Ithaca reliever Jimmy Wagner entered to start the eighth and retired the side in order. In the ninth, however, Mistretta was hit by a pitch to open the inning and John Adornetto (Commack) singled through the right side. Graczyk attempted a sacrifice bunt, but Wagner fielded the ball and threw to third to just nip Mistretta for the first out. Wagner then recorded a strikeout, but a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Rinaldi walked to load the bases, but Wagner fanned the next hitter to end the game and record his fourth save of the season.
Caswell finished 3-for-4 and Tim Locastro was 2-for-4 with a walk for Ithaca. Jackson went 3-for-5 and Adornetto was 2-for-5 for Cortland.
Tyler Scott (New Paltz) entered in relief of McClain in the third. He went three and two-thirds innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits. He walked two. George Jweid (Utica/New Hartford) threw the final two and a third innings and allowed no runs on only one hit and one walk with one strikeout.
Three Red Dragons – senior pitchers Mike Hughes (Albany) and Zachary Badanes (Syosset) and freshman pitcher Brandon Serio (Bedford Hills/Fox Lane) – were named to the NCAA Regional all-tournament team. Hughes shut out Neumann on Friday, 4-0, Badanes struck out 12 in a win over RPI on Friday, and Serio defeated Amherst earlier on Saturday.
All-Tournament Team:
Jorge Ruiz, 3B, Farmingdale State
Al Mersman, 2B, Rensselaer
Bob Cook, P/1B, Amherst
Jonathan Ramirez, 2B, Amherst
Zachary Badanes, P, Cortland
Mike Hughes, P, Cortland
Brandon Serio, P, Cortland
Pat Lemmo, P, Ithaca
Tim Locastro, SS, Ithaca
Andrew Turner, OF, Ithaca
Jimmy Wagner, P, Ithaca
Most Outstanding Player -- Pat Lemmo, Ithaca