CORTLAND, N.Y. – Cortland scored three times to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, but Oswego plated two runs in the 11th and held on for a 5-4 win over the nationally top-ranked Red Dragons.
Oswego improved to 10-6 overall and 3-1 in SUNYAC play. Cortland, which moved into the top spot in the D3baseball.com national poll this week for the second time this spring, is now 17-5 overall and 6-1 in the SUNYAC and had a seven-game win streak snapped.
Most of the contest featured a pitchers' duel between Cortland sophomore Brandon McClain (Coram/Longwood) and Oswego senior Adam Bishop as both opened with eight shutout innings. Both finished with no-decisions. McClain allowed six hits, two walks and three runs with five strikeouts in eight and two-thirds innings. Bishop gave up three hits, two walks and two runs and fanned four in eight and a third innings.
In the top of the ninth, Oswego scored three runs to take a 3-0 lead. Mike McMullen and Alex Jurczynski each singled with one out and, with two outs, Brian Hamilton singled up the middle to drive in a run. Andrew Lazzaro followed with a two-run triple down the right-field line.
Cortland's tying rally started with a Brian Barry (Nesconset/Smithtown East) one-out walk. John Adornetto (Commack) singled through the right side and P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Max Rosing (Rockville Centre/South Side) hit a fly ball in the gap in right center. Oswego centerfielder Scott Buniak made a sliding catch, but both Barry and Adornetto were able to tag up and score on the sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Pinch-hitter Chris Jackson (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) then chopped a ball in front of the plate, but the throw by the catcher hit Jackson and sailed into foul territory and pinch-runner James Quinn (Guilderland) scored the tying run from second. Jackson went to third on the play but was stranded after a groundout.
In the top of the 11th, McMullen led off with an infield single between the pitcher and second baseman and Jurczynski walked. Tim Smith then laid down a sacrifice bunt, and a throwing error on the play allowed both runners to score to put the Lakers ahead 5-3.
Rosing reached second on a throwing error to start the bottom of the 11th and Anthony Iacomini (South Salem/John Jay-Cross River) singled to put runners on first and third. A Tim Panetta (Mount Kisco/Fox Lane) infield single drove in Rosing and put runners on first and second with no outs. Oswego catcher Jurczynski, however, picked off Cortland's runner at second for the first out, and the game ended on a strike out-caught stealing double play.
McMullen finished 4-for-5 and Jurczynski was 1-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored for Oswego. Ryan Donovan earned the win after throwing the game's final inning and a third. For Cortland, Barry was 2-for-3 with two walks. Cody Petre (Silver Springs/Letchworth) suffered the loss after being charged with Oswego's two unearned runs in the 11th.
Cortland will host Brockport in a three-game SUNYAC set Friday and Saturday. The teams will play Friday at 3 p.m. and a doubleheader Saturday at noon.