CORTLAND, N.Y. – Andrew Michalski's (Buffalo/St. Francis) two-out RBI infield single capped a three-run rally in the bottom of the sixth inning as Cortland defeated visiting New Paltz, 4-3, in the seven-inning contest of a SUNYAC Eastern division doubleheader. Cortland also won the opening game, 17-1, behind a 22-hit effort along with five scoreless innings from Zack Durant (Verona/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill). 
 
Cortland (13-3, 4-0 SUNYAC East) and New Paltz (4-6, 2-6 SUNYAC East) will meet again Sunday, this time at New Paltz, in a 1 p.m. league doubleheader. 
 
Cortland 17, New Paltz 1 
 
Cortland took control early in the nine-inning opener with five runs in the first, one in the third and eight in the fourth to establish a 14-0 lead. Durant allowed just two hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five scoreless innings and is now 4-0. Durant has not allowed a run in 21 innings on the hill this spring. Will McCarthy (Farmingdale) gave up a walk and an unearned run in the sixth, and Scott Roberts (Escondido, CA/Del Norte) pitched the final three innings for his second save. Roberts didn't allow any hits, struck out five and walked one. 
 
Seven Red Dragons registered multiple hits. Michalski was 3-for-3 with an RBI, Colin BeVard (Syracuse/West Genesee) went 2-for-3 with a double and walk, Paul Franzese (Somers) finished 2-for-3 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored, and Ben Rhodes (Amsterdam) was 2-for-3, was hit by a pitch and scored twice. Matt Funk (Pine Plains) was 2-for-3 with two RBI off the bench, while Matthew Krafft (Cornwall), the player he replaced, was 2-for-3 with an RBI. 
 
Scott Giordano (Croton-on-Hudson/Croton-Harmon) was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI, James Varian (Hopewell Junction/Trinity-Pawling) doubled, drove in three and scored twice, and Mat Bruno (Rye) and Nick Chemotti (Warners/West Genesee) each drove in two runs. 
 
Jack Greco and Frank Arena recorded New Paltz's hits, and Vincent Siano drove home the Hawks' lone run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth. Scott Wagner took the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on 10 hits in three innings. 
 
Cortland 4, New Paltz 3 
 
Cortland led 1-0 in the bottom of the second when BeVard led off with a single, took second and third on wild pitches, and scored on a two-out Michalski single to left center. New Paltz tied the game in the fourth on a one-out Jesse Keshner solo homer. The Hawks loaded the bases after the Keshner homer on Nick Harvey and Matthew McGee infield singles and a Justin Harvey walk, but Bailey Gauthier (Camillus/West Genesee) entered the game and struck out two straight batters to keep the game tied. 
 
New Paltz, however, capitalized on a similar opportunity in the top of the sixth. A Keshner walk, an error and a McGee single loaded the bases with no outs. Gauthier looked like he might escape again after striking out the next two hitters, but Matt Laurelli hit a two-run single up the middle to give the Hawks a 3-1 lead. 
 
Giordano started Cortland's winning rally when he was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Rhodes hit a double to the base of the fence near center field to score Giordano, and Varian followed with an RBI single through the left side to tie the game. Varian took second on the throw home, and more importantly was able to tag and go to third on a flyout to the second baseman in shallow right field. Michalski hit a ball in the hole between short and third that the shortstop was able to knock down, and the infield single was enough to score Varian from third with the go-ahead run. Gauthier retired the side in order in the top of the seventh to secure his second win of the season.  
Michalski went 2-for-2 with a walk and two RBI and finished the doubleheader a combined 5-for-5 with a walk and three RBI in six plate appearances. McGee was 2-for-3 for New Paltz as each team finished with six hits. 
 
Ryan Flansburg (Queensbury) started for Cortland and allowed one run in three and a third innings. He allowed four hits and one walk and fanned three. Gauthier was Cortland's second reliever and finished with six strikeouts and one walk in three and two thirds innings. He allowed two hits and two unearned runs. New Paltz starter Bobby Ramsey, making his first appearance of the season, allowed four hits and three runs in five and a third innings. He struck out four and walked two. Ryan Geraghty, who played most of the game in center field, relieved Ramsey and suffered the loss after allowing a run on two hits.