CORTLAND, N.Y. – Senior Rob Andrews (Commack) singled in the go-ahead run during a two-run seventh inning as nationally fifth-ranked Cortland came from behind to defeat 10th-ranked Misericordia University, 4-2, in a non-league game at Wallace Field.
Cortland completes the regular season with a 32-7-1 record and will host the four-team SUNYAC postseason tournament May 4-6. The visiting Cougars drop to 32-7 with the loss.
Sophomore pitcher Steve Komanecky (Auburn) earned his first collegiate win in relief. Junior Zachary Badanes (Syosset) started and allowed only six hits, one walk and two unearned runs in six innings. He struck out three. Komanecky entered after a Misericordia leadoff single in the seventh. The runner was bunted to second, but Komanecky then picked him off for the second out and recorded the final out two batters later.
Senior Brendan Hourihan (Yorktown Heights/Lakeland) registered his second save of the season. He came in with a runner on first and a 1-2 count and threw one pitch for the inning-ending strikeout. He then allowed only a two-out single in the ninth and finished with two strikeouts.
Misericordia used six pitchers, starting with Pete Doggett. The first four Cougar hurlers allowed only a combined one hit, four walks and one run over five innings.
The Cougars took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second. Jeff Slanovec led off with a single and an error during Nate Hamlin's sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. Badanes retired the next two hitters, but Chris Tuttle's single drove in two runs.
Cortland got a run back in the fourth without the benefit of a hit. Andrew Pezzuto (Hastings) ws hit by a pitch and went to second on a wild pitch. Max Rosing (Rockville Centre/South Side) walked and P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT) sacrificed the runners to second and third. Pezzuto then scored on a wild pitch.
In the sixth, James Quinn (Guilderland) drew a leadoff walk against Ron Guido and moved to second on a Pezzuto sacrifice bunt. Rosing followed with a single through the left side to drive in Quinn with the tying run.
Cortland's go-ahead rally in the seventh started with Zack Graczyk's (Carmel) tough-hop double past the third baseman down the left field line. He went to third on a Tim Panetta (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) single to left center and scored on Andrews' RBI single to center. Matt June (Colonie) bunted the runners to second and third and Quinn hit a sacrifice fly to left to plate the final run of the game.
Chris Jackson (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) finished 1-for-2 with two walks and Panetta went 1-for-2 with a walk. Tuttle was 2-for-3 with two RBI and Slanovec finished 2-for-4 for Misericordia.