ITHACA, N.Y. – Junior Brandon McClain (Coram/Longwood) threw a three-hit shutout as nationally seventh-ranked Cortland completed a sweep of Plattsburgh, 4-0, in the second game of a SUNYAC doubleheader. The Red Dragons (16-4, 5-0 SUNYAC) won the opener, 8-7, with single runs in the eighth and ninth innings after Plattsburgh (7-12, 2-3 SUNYAC) scored seven times in the top of the eighth to take a 7-6 lead.
Cortland's game Tuesday at Oswego has been postponed with no makeup date announced yet.
GAME 1: Cortland 8, Plattsburgh 7
Michael DeCarr's (Syracuse/Westhill) sacrifice fly drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as Cortland had to rally after relinquishing a 6-0 lead. Max Rosing (Rockville Centre/South Side) led off the ninth with a single, Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk) was hit by a pitch and an error on Mitch Hollander's (Woodbury/Syosset) sacrifice bunt loaded the bases with no outs. DeCarr's fly ball to left easily plated the winning run.
Cortland tied the game at 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Donny Castaldo (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) singled to center, pinch hitter Mark DeMilio (Valhalla) singled up the middle and Anthony Iacomini (South Salem/John Jay-Cross River) hit an RBI single through the left side.
Cortland starter Brandon Serio (Bedford Hills/Fox Lane) allowed only one baserunner over the first seven innings on a two-out single by John Casten in the second. In the eighth, however, Chris Pescetti led off with a walk and, with one out, Jonathan Repetto singled. An error on that play put runners on second and third, and Jeremy Rodriguez walked to load the bases.
Luke Weaver singled to drive in a run and Nicholas Lupo greeted Cortland reliever Steve Komanecky (Auburn) with a two-run double down the left field line. Following a strikeout for the second out, Brian Latulipe was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Garrett Hoag (Dansville) entered to pitch and his wild pitch allowed a run to score to make it a 6-4 game. Frank Buksa then hit a two-run triple to left center to tie the game and Pescetti's RBI infield single gave the Cardinals the lead.
Cortland took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a Castaldo single, a Conrad Ziemendorf (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) RBI triple, a Iacomini sac fly, two hit batters and a Bomasuto two-run triple. The Red Dragons added unearned runs on errors in the sixth and seventh innings.
Hoag earned the win and is 2-0 on the season. Ziemendorf finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, Rosing was 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored and Castaldo went 2-for-4 with a walk and three runs. Iacomini and Mitch Hollander (Woodbury/Syosset) each were 2-for-4, with Iacomini driving in two runs.
Lupo and Buksa each finished with two RBI for Plattsburgh. Six Cardinal hitters registered one hit apiece. Mike Vargues, Plattsburgh's second reliever, entered in the eighth and took the loss.
GAME 2: Cortland 4, Plattsburgh 0
McClain improved to 5-0 after allowing three hits and two walks and fanning six in the seven-inning contest. DeMilio, Hollander and Chris Jackson (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) each finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and Iacomini went 1-for-2 with a walk and RBI.
JD Jenkins went the distance for Plattsburgh and gave up nine hits and two walks in six innings. He allowed four runs, three earned, and struck out four. Latulipe and Repetto each finished 1-for-2.
Cortland broke the ice in the second to take a 1-0 lead. Jackson tripled with one out, but was thrown out at home on a grounder to short by Bryan Marotta (Clifton Park/Shenendehowa). Ziemendorf followed with a single up the middle, and DeMilio drove in the run with a single through the right side as Marotta just beat the tag at the plate on the throw from right field.
The Red Dragons added three insurance runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Hollander, Iacomini and Jackson. McClain did not allow a runner past first base and ended up facing only two batters over the minimum.