MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Cortland scored nine runs over the first four innings to erase an early 3-0 deficit and the nationally fourth-ranked Red Dragons defeated Manhattanville, 13-3, at the Ripken Experience. Cortland (2-1) will continue play in Myrtle Beach with a doubleheader Saturday versus Staten Island and a single game Sunday against Eastern University (Pa.).
Junior Tim Panetta (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored to lead Cortland's 11-hit attack. Junior P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT) was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs and sophomore Donny Castaldo (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Also for the Red Dragons, senior Brian Barry (Nesconset/Smithtown East) went 2-for-3 with a walk, senior Zack Graczyk (Carmel) walked three times and scored twice and junior Max Rosing (Rockville Centre/South Side) reached base three times on a walk and two hit-by-pitches and scored all three times.
Senior John Molloy (Franklin Square/Carey) pitched five innings for the victory. He allowed four hits, three walks and three runs and struck out five. He gave up three hits, a walk and three runs in the top of the first, but settled down to allow a hit and two walks over the next four scoreless frames.
Junior Matt Holling (Horseheads) and freshman Tyler Brien (Ilion) each pitched two perfect innings of relief. Holling struck out four batters over the sixth and seventh innings and Brien retired six straight batters over the eighth and ninth innings.
Manhattanville (0-1) scored three runs in the top of the first. Johnny LoVetere led off with a single, went to second on a passed ball and took third on a Kevin Brady single. Bobby Guerra walked to load the bases, Sean Ferguson drove in a run with a groundout to the catcher and John Bucci hit a two-run single to center.
Cortland responded with four runs in the bottom of the first on a Rinaldi two-run single, a pair of passed balls that eventually scored Rinaldi and a Panetta RBI single. The Red Dragons added a run in the second on a wild pitch and scored two in the third on Panetta's RBI double and senior Bryan Mistretta's (Commack) squeeze bunt.
Castaldo singled in a run during a two-run fourth and Panetta plated a run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Freshman Conrad Ziemendorf's (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) two-run single highlighted a three-run eighth.