Box Score

AUBURN, N.Y. – The fourth-ranked SUNY Cortland baseball team used a four-run bottom of the seventh to break a 1-1 tie, en route to a 5-2 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), this evening in an elimination game at the New York Regional of the NCAA Tournament. With the win, the Red Dragons improve to 37-10, while the Engineers finish the season at 30-15.

Rensselaer freshman righthander Stephen Schiavone (White Plains, NY/White Plains) and Cortland senior righthander Zachary Badanes (Syosset, NY/Syosset) were locked in a pitchers' duel through the first six innings, in which each team picking up a single run.

The Red Dragons scored one in the bottom of the second after a walk and an error put a runner on second with nobody out. After a groundout, junior P.J. Rinaldi (Bethel, CT/Bethel) drove home the game's first run with a single to left.

RPI pulled even in the top of the fourth, as sophomore Tyler Listing (West Sand Lake, NY/Averill Park) ripped a single to left to lead off the frame. Following a sacrifice bunt moved Listing to second, classmate Tim LeSuer (Oak View, CA/Norhoff) singled to right, putting runners on first and third with one out. Fellow sophomore Shane Matthews (Ballston Spa, NY/Saratoga Catholic) then walked with Listing coming in from third on a passed ball to tie the game at 1-1.

The score remained tied until the bottom of the seventh, when the Red Dragons scored four times on just one hit – a two-run single by senior second baseman Bryan Mistretta (Commack, NY/Commack) with one out and the bases loaded – to take a 5-1 lead.

The Engineers came back with a single run in the top of the eighth as Listing came home on a fielding error by Cortland.

Schiavone (0-1) allowed just three runs (2 earned) on three hits in 6.0 innings. He struck out a career-high three batters, while walking three. Classmate Greg Echeverria (Longmeadow, MA/Longmeadow) threw 1.2 perfect innings to finish the game for RPI, collecting two strikeouts.

Badanes (5-0) surrendered two unearned runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings, striking out a career-high 12 batters, while walking one. Junior Steven Kimmelman (Riverhead, NY/Riverhead) picked up his third save of the year, going the last 1.1 innings.

Rensselaer reached the 30-win plateau for the seventh time in school history. In two games against Cortland in the regional, RPI pitching gave up just 10 hits (8 singles), with 10 strikeouts in 16.0 innings.