AUBURN, N.Y. – Cortland scored seven runs over the final three innings, including five runs in the top of the ninth, to erase a 5-0 deficit and the nationally top-ranked Red Dragons earned a thrilling 7-5 win over Amherst in a winner's bracket game at the NCAA Division III Baseball New York Regional.
Cortland will face either RPI or Old Westbury in the winner's bracket final of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament Friday at 4:30 p.m.
Junior Tyler Brien (Ilion), who is on Cortland's NCAA playoff roster for only two days due to a rare military exemption, earned the win in relief to improve to 2-0. He entered in the eighth and allowed one hit in two scoreless innings, and he was the pitcher of record when Cortland rallied for the win in the ninth.
Brien is a member of the Army National Guard and has a weekend commitment in Fort Drum, N.Y., that he must meet. The NCAA Division III Baseball National Committee allowed Cortland to include Brien on its 25-man playoff roster for the regional's opening two days Wednesday and Thursday and then replace him for the remainder of the tournament.
Cortland (38-4) trailed 5-0 after six innings but cut into its deficit in the seventh on a Vinny Bomasuto (Dunkirk) two-out, two-run homer. The Red Dragons were retired in order in the eighth, but in the ninth Mark DeMilio (Valhalla) led off with a walk and, with one out, scored from second on a Bomasuto RBI single. Conrad Ziemendorf (Penfield/Webster Schroeder) walked and, after a passed ball, Anthony Simon (Suffern/Don Bosco Prep (NJ)) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Austin Clock (Niskayuna) walked to force in a run, and Fabio Ricci (Hawthorne/Westlake) singled through the left side to drive in the tying run. Matthew Michalski (Buffalo/St. Francis) drew a walk to give Cortland the lead and pinch hitter Adam Smith (Vestal) singled to right to plate the Red Dragons' last run.
Amherst (27-14) scored five unearned runs off Cortland starter Seth Lamando (Hopewell Junction/Roy C. Ketcham) with the assistance of four Red Dragon errors. Lamando allowed five hits and three walks and struck out seven in seven innings.
The Jeffs scored in the first on Yanni Thanopoulos' RBI groundout after an error allowed a runner to go to third. Amherst tallied four runs in the fourth. The inning started with a leadoff error, a sac bunt and a walk. Tyler Jacobs singled in a run, and a bunt by Eric West was dropped to load the bases. Brendon Hardin then squeeze bunted to drive in a run, and he was safe on an error. Harry Roberson followed with an RBI single to left and Mike Odenwaelder hit a sac fly to left to drive in the last run.
Riley Streit started for Amherst and allowed two runs on eight hits in seven innings. He struck out two and walked two. Odenwaelder, the Jeffs' second reliever, suffered the loss.
Bomasuto finished 3-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored and Simon went 2-for-4 for the Red Dragons. Ricci was 2-for-5 with an RBI. For Amherst, Odenwaelder was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Roberson went 2-for-5.