By Jim Dixon
D3sports.com
Cortland was facing elimination with one run in their first 16 innings. They scored four runs in the eighth and survived a shaky ninth to stave off elimination with a 4-2 win over Rowan in the 2012 D-III College World Series at Perfect Game Field.
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Cortland will play the loser of the Wheaton-Salisbury game scheduled for 1:15 pm. Rowan's season ends with a 0-2 record in the 2021 D-III College World Series.
"We were able to get a couple of big plays," said Cortland head coach Joe Brown. "I give a lot of credit to our team to be resilient."
Both team's pitchers were dealing early. They played a scoreless four innings before Rowan broke through to grab a 1-0 lead in the fifth. Jared Marks doubled to right for the Prof's second extra-base hit of the night. Trip McCaffery was asked to sacrifice and Marks moved to third. Victor Cruz got the two-out hit to plate Marks for the early lead.
Cortland struck for four runs in the eighth. Ben Rhodes hustled out of the box and turned what might have been a single into a two base hit. Andrew Michalski sacrificed but the third baseman tossed the ball away, allowing Rhodes to score and Michalski to motor all the way to third. Matthew Krafft singled up the middle to plate Michalski. After Krafft took second on a sacrifice bunt, he was picked off. Cortland's head coach Joe Brown requested a review and the call was overturned. Colin BeVard hit a ground-rule double, plating Krafft. Paul Franzese came in to pitch ran for BeVard. He took third on a groundout and as part of double steal, stole home for Cortlan's final run of the inning.
"We had a couple miscues in the eighth and sometimes things don't go your way," said Rowan head coach Mike Dickson. "This was one of those days. I thought we battled all game long but we did not get the big hit when we needed it."
Rowan mounted a comeback but fell a couple runs short. Jared Marks led off the ninth with a double to right and moved to third on a sac bunt. Ryan McIsaac drive to right center split the outfielders and plated Marks. Bailey Gauthier got the final two batters out to end the threat and the game.
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| Paul Franzese scores Cortland's fourth run of the eighth inning. He was originally called out but upon review the call was overturned and the run counted. Photo by Steve Frommell, d3photography.com | More photos from this game |
Rowan's Eli Atiya pitched well in the loss. He gave up three runs, one earned in 7.1 inings of work. He walk one batted and struckout six. For seven innings, he kept the Cortland hitters off balance. In the eighth his effectiveness was undone by a misplay of an eighth inning sacrifice bunt that allowed for the inning to be extended.
"My change-up was working and I got a lot of swings and misses, " said Atiya. "My curve ball got a lot of strikes. I know when I am pitching, they guys behind me will be making the plays."
"He is a good pitcher," said Brown in praise of Atiya. "You don't win nine games, you don't win the NJAC by mistake. I tip my cap to him."
Cortland used two pitchers in their efforts. Ryan Flanburg started the game and was replaced by Bailey Gauthier in the fifth when he ran into trouble. Flanburg went 4.2 inning and allowed one run, earned on six hits. He walked one and struck out four. Gauthier earned the win as he pitched the final 4.1 innings. he allowed the one ninth inning run on three hits. He walked two and struck out three.