CORTLAND, N.Y. - Cortland, ranked second nationally in Division III, split a SUNYAC doubleheader versus Brockport. The Red Dragons (18-5, 4-2 SUNYAC) won the opening seven-inning game, 4-1, behind Alex Weingarten's (East Rockaway/Lynbrook) complete-game two-hitter. Brockport held off Cortland in the nine-inning nightcap, 8-7, and won two of the three games in the weekend series.
Cortland is scheduled to host Union College in a non-league game Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.
Cortland 4, Brockport 1
Weingarten improved to 4-1 with seven innings of two-hit ball. He struck out five and did not walk anyone. Weingarten retired the Golden Eagles in order in every inning except the third. Brockport, however, did score in that frame to take an early 1-0 lead. Joe Bender singled, moved to second on a wild pitch, was bunted to third by Justin Valentino and scored on a Mike D'Eletto single through the left side.
Cortland grabbed the lead with two in the bottom of the third. Steven Figueroa (Bronx/St. Raymond's) and Tyler Phillips (Hancock) led off with singles. Justin Teague (North Syracuse/Cicero-North Syracuse) followed with a sacrifice bunt, and a throwing error to first on the play allowed a run to score. Jon Warner (Tully) followed with an RBI groundout to the pitcher.
The Red Dragons added a run in the fifth on a Nate Budge (Central Square/Paul V. Moore) RBI single and another in the sixth on a Phillips RBI single.
Budge finished 3-for-3 with and RBI and Phillips went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Red Dragons to account for six of their eight hits.
Mark Giallanzo started for Brockport and allowed four runs, but only one earned, in five innings. He gave up seven hits and three walks and struck out three.
Brockport 8, Cortland 7
Brockport scored four runs on six straight hits, all with two outs, in the top of the fifth to take a 6-3 lead, then held off a Cortland comeback over the last four innings.
Cortland led 2-0 on a Budge two-run double in the first, but the Golden Eagles tied it in the third on an Avery Brooks two-run single. Cortland regained the lead in the fourth on a Figueroa RBI single.
With two outs and no one on in the fifth, Brockport started its key rally with singles by Dane Cala and Brooks, followed by a Paul Ludden RBI single to center. An infield single by Anthony Eaton scored a run to put the guests ahead, and Matt Van Allen and Luke Gilbert followed with back-to-back RBI singles to center.
The teams each put up a single run in the sixth - Brockport on a Cala bunt single, a Brooks hit-by-pitch, and two wild pitches, and Cortland on a Phillips RBI single to center. Cortland closed to within 7-5 in the seventh on a Jack Massa (Shoreham/Shoreham-Wading River) pinch-hit RBI double, but the Red Dragons stranded runners on second and third with one out.
Brockport notched what proved to be a vital insurance run in the top of the ninth on an infield RBI single by Tom Kretzler. Cortland opened the bottom of the ninth with walks by Budge and Matthew Personius (Binghamton/Chenango Valley). Brockport got the next two outs on a flyout and fielder's choice, but Figueroa hit a two-run double to deep center to cut the deficit to 8-7. D'Eletto, who moved from shortstop to pitcher in the eighth, recovered to induce a flyout to right to end the game and earn his first save of the season.
Starter Ben Moxley earned the win for the Golden Eagles with five and a third innings of work. He gave up five hits and four runs, three earned, with four walks and four strikeouts. Mike Harrington (Glens Falls), the second of eight Cortland pitchers in the game, took the loss after allowing the four runs in the fifth.
Phillips finished 3-for-6 with an RBI and was a combined 6-for-10 in the doubleheader. Budge ended 2-for-4 with a walk, two RBI and two runs, and was 5-for-7 in the two games. Also for Cortland, Patrick Schetter (Beacon) finished 2-for-4 with a walk and Figueroa went 2-for-5 with a walk and three RBI.
Cala led Brockport with a 3-for-6 effort and three runs scored. Brooks finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and Gilbert went 2-for-4 with a walk and RBI.
Brockport finished with 13 hits and four walks, while Cortland recorded 12 hits and six walks. Cortland left 13 runners on base - with at least one in each inning- and Brockport stranded 11.