ITHACA, N.Y. – Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk) tripled with one out in the bottom of the 12th and scored on Austin Clock's (Niskayuna) walk-off single as Cortland defeated Brockport, 3-2, to complete a sweep of the Golden Eagles at Cornell University. The nationally second-ranked Red Dragons won the opener, 5-4, and improved to 18-1 overall (5-0 SUNYAC). The Golden Eagles fall to 10-8 overall (3-5 SUNYAC).
Senior Donny Castaldo (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) finished the doubleheader 5-for-8 with a run and a walk and sophomore Matthew Michalski (Buffalo/St. Francis) went a combined 4-for-7 with a triple, two RBI, a walk and a run.
The teams are scheduled to complete their three-game series Sunday at either 2 or 2:30 p.m. at Cornell.
Game 1: Cortland 5, Brockport 4
Senior Adam Smith (Vestal) hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to break a 4-4 tie and lead Cortland to the win. He had two sac flies on the game, each one giving Cortland the lead. Junior Brandon Serio (Bedford Hills/Fox Lane) improved his record to 3-0 on the year. He pitched a complete game in the nine-inning opener, giving up eight hits, four runs (one earned) and a walk with six strikeouts.
Brockport jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Josh Martin had an RBI single up the middle, and Chris Davis scored later in the inning on a throwing error. Martin finished 1-for-3 with a hit, walk, run and an RBI and Davis went 2-for-4 with a run.
The Red Dragons responded immediately, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Conrad Ziemendorf (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) had an RBI double and Clock and Michalski each recorded RBI singles. Clock batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, and Michalski went 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run.
The teams traded runs in the sixth. Martin scored on a fielding error for Brockport and Smith answered with a sacrifice fly for Cortland. The Golden Eagles then tied the game in the top of the seventh with a Brendan Swayne RBI groundout. Cortland's winning rally in the eighth started with a Clock single. Pinch runner Paul Dondero (Islip Terrace/East Islip) went to third on Michalski's one-out single and scored on Smith's sac fly to left.
Jeffrey Prouse started the game for Brockport. He pitched seven innings, giving up eight hits, four earned runs, a walk and five strikeouts. Nick Pontari came on in the eighth and gave up three hits and an earned run.
Game 2: Cortland 3, Brockport 2 (12 inn.)
Cortland trailed 2-1 was down to its final out with no one on in the bottom of the eighth in the seven-inning nightcap. Ziemendorf tripled to left center to keep the inning alive and Michalski walked. Michalski moved to second on a wild pitch, and another wild pitch allowed Ziemendorf to score the tying run.
In the 12th, Bomasuto lined a one-out triple to right center. Brockport moved its center fielder in as a fifth infielder, but Clock ended the game with a liner that just eluded a diving right fielder for the walk-off hit.
Senior Anthony Simon (Suffern/Don Bosco Prep (NJ)) went 3-for-5 with a run and Ziemendorf went 2-for-5 with a run. Michalski finished 1-for-3 a walk and an RBI.
The Red Dragons opened up a 1-0 lead in the fourth with a Michalski RBI single, but Brockport came back in the sixth with an Anthony Barbetto double, a Brett Sanders sac bunt and a Wesley Burghardt sac fly to tie the game.
In the top of the eighth, the Golden Eagles took the lead with a two-out RBI double by Chris Davis. Barbetto also started that rally with a single and was bunted to second by Sanders before scoring on Davis' two-bagger to deep right.
Senior Brandon McClain (Coram/Longwood) started the game for the Red Dragons. He pitched six and two thirds innings with six hits, an earned run, three walks and five strikeouts. Junior Travis Laitar (Fergus, ON/Centre Wellington) came on in relief, pitching four and a third innings and giving up two hits, an earned run, a walk and a strikeout. Junior Tyler Brien (Ilion) earned the win. He pitched the 12th inning, allowing no hits while walking one and striking out one.
Dakota Stackhouse made the start for the Golden Eagles. He pitched nine innings and gave up 10 hits, two earned runs and three walks with three strikeouts. Adam Pratt threw two and a third innings with four hits and an earned run. Barbetto finished 2-for-6 with two runs.