CORTLAND, N.Y. – Matt Valin (LaFargeville) allowed two hits and struck out 10 batters over six innings and Wyatt Myers (Chittenango) doubled twice and drove in four runs as nationally 25th-ranked Cortland remained unbeaten in SUNYAC play with a 9-2 win over visiting New Paltz.
The Red Dragons improved to 20-9-1 overall (10-0 in the SUNYAC) for their 30th consecutive season with at least 20 victories. Cortland and New Paltz (10-12, 2-8 SUNYAC) will play a doubleheader Saturday at noon in Cortland.
Valin allowed one run on two hits with four walks and a season-high 10 strikeouts to improve to 5-0 on the season. Noah Ernst (Catskill/Homeschooled) gave up one run over two innings and Liam Krasney (Greenville) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.
Scott Giordano (Croton-on-Hudson) finished 2-for-3 with a double, hit by pitch, RBI and two runs scored and has reached base safely in 22 straight games. Colin BeVard (Syracuse/West Genesee) went 2-for-4 with two runs score to extend his hitting streak to 14 games and Dan Schweitzer (Poughquag/Arlington) went 1-for-4 and has hit safely in 12 straight contests.
Myers wrapped the day 2-for-4 with four RBI and two runs. He hit an RBI double as part of a three-run first inning and ripped a bases-loaded three-run double during a five-run fifth inning.
New Paltz threatened in the top of the first against Valin, loading the bases with one out on a Julian Francisco double, a Matthew McGee hit by pitch and a Dean Stalzer walk. Valin got the next hitter to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Cortland's three-run first included back-to-back RBI doubles by Myers and James Varian (Hopewell Junction/Trinity-Pawling) and a Mat Bruno (Rye) run-scoring groundout. Giordano's RBI double with two outs in the second extended the lead to 4-0.
The Hawks put up a run in the fifth. Justin Ganca was hit by a pitch and went all the way to third on a Ryan Frost bunt single. Two batters later Michael Boccarossa hit a sac fly to drive in Ganca.
The first four batters for Cortland in the bottom of the fifth registered hits to spark the five-run inning. BeVard and Giordano each singled through the left side and Schweitzer beat out a bunt to load the bases. Myers cleared the sacks with a three-run double to deep left center, and two batters later Bruno singled to center to drive home a run. The last run scored on a wild pitch.
New Paltz closed the scoring in the seventh with three straight singles, the last of which by Boccarossa drove in a run. The Hawks left runners on second and third and finished the game with eight left on base.
New Paltz starting pitcher Justin Stybel gave up nine runs on 10 hits over five innings. Billy Moeller entered to start the sixth and retired all nine batters he faced over the final three innings. Frost finished 2-for-4, Stalzer went 1-for-2 with two walks, and Boccarossa was 1-for-3 with two RBI to lead New Paltz's offense.