WINCHESTER, Va. – No. 21/RV Shenandoah University opened its 2012 baseball season with a 4-2 non-league victory over No. 5/5 Cortland State Friday afternoon.
Shenandoah (1-0) banged out 11 hits and turned three inning-ending double plays to down the Red Dragons (0-1).
This is the second straight season that the two Division III powers have played an early season contest. SU was a 2-0 winner in the 2011 contest.
After Cortland scored an unearned run in the second thanks to an infield hit, a walk and a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt, the Hornets took control of the contest with a three-run third.
Shenandoah had five hits in the frame, starting with a leadoff single from senior Mike Minch and ending with a Dan Powers single to right.
In between, Joey Donofrio tied the contest with a double down the right field line to score Minch and senior Cory Nelson plated both Donofrio and classmate Tucker Brown with a single up the middle.
Nelson had reached on a single through the left side and advanced to second on a throwing error.
Donofrio capped the Hornets scoring with a two-out double to right in the fourth. He drove in Kurt Krout, who had singled, with this double.
Donofrio finished his day 3 for 4 with two RBI.
After starter Vince Claudio (1-0) ended his day following the fifth, freshman Matt Riegler worked through a scoreless sixth before allowing two hits to start the seventh.
SU skipper Kevin Anderson then turned to pre-season All-America closer Kyle Scallion, and Scallion snuffed out the threat by sandwiching two strikeouts and a comebacker around a single to right.
Scallion earned his first save by allowing just two hits in recording the final nine outs of the game.
He retired the final five in order.
Watch Scallion discuss the win.
Eight of nine Shenandoah starters had at least one hit.
Claudio allowed one unearned run on four hits and one walk in 5.0 innings. He struck out five.
John Ardornetto was 2 for 3 with two RBI for Cortland.
SU is back in action Saturday with a noon doubleheader against Misericordia.