PORT CHARLOTTE, FLA. – Coley Barker's RBI single through the left side drove home the winning run with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning as UMass Boston defeated nationally third-ranked Cortland, 4-3, to hand the Red Dragons their first loss this season.
Cortland dropped to 11-1 with the loss, while the Beacons improved to 5-4. Cortland remains in Port Charlotte for three SUNYAC games versus New Paltz – a doubleheader Friday at noon and a single game Saturday at 11 a.m., all at the North Charlotte Regional Park.
UMB's winning rally started when Anthony Searles reached on an error to start the ninth. Charlie LaPaglia bunted Searles to second, and Cortland elected to intentionally walk Trevor Bouvier. Barker, who entered the game in the top of the eighth to play second after the original second baseman was pinch hit for, ripped the first pitch he saw for the game-winning hit to score Searles from second.
Daniel Mantoni started for UMB and gave up five hits and three runs over eight innings for a no decision. He struck out seven and walked three. Josh Cummiskey pitched a perfect ninth and was credited with the victory. Zach Ferris (Stephentown/LaSalle Institute) started for Cortland and allowed three runs, two earned, in five and a third innings. He gave up six hits, struck out three and walked none. Adam Brant (Staatsburg/Our Lady of Lourdes) allowed only two hits and one unearned run with one walk and one strikeout over three innings but suffered the loss.
Cortland led 1-0 in the first on singles by Mark DeMilio (Valhalla) and Conrad Ziemendorf (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) and a sac bunt by Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk), with a throwing error after the bunt allowing DeMilio to score.
UMB tied the game in the second when Searles reached second on an error, tagged to third on a fly ball to right and scored on Bouvier's sac fly to center. The Beacons grabbed a 3-1 lead in the fifth on a Sal Frosceno RBI squeeze bunt and a Mantoni run-scoring double.
Cortland quickly responded to tie the game in the top of the sixth. Bomasuto walked, Austin Clock (Niskayuna) singled and Adam Smith (Vestal) bunted the runners to second and third. Castaldo hit a sac fly to drive in Bomasuto, and an error during the play allowed Clock to score the tying run.
The Red Dragons had a chance to take the lead in the seventh but left runners stranded on first and third. Cortland was retired in order in each of the last two innings.
Mantoni finished 3-for-4 with an RBI in addition to his pitching performance for the Beacons. Bouvier went 2-for-2 with a walk and RBI. For Cortland, Bomasuto was 1-for-2 with a walk and sacrifice. Clock and DeMilio each ended 1-for-3.