Cortland, NY – Derek Maldonado, AJ Campi, and Chris McLean all had hits, but the SUNY Canton baseball team ran into a buzzsaw Friday night against the preseason-favorite Cortland Red Dragons, dropping the game 11-1 Friday afternoon.

THE BASICS

• Result: Cortland 11, SUNY Canton 1 (8 Inn.)
• Location: Robert H. Wallace Field – Cortland, NY
• Records: SUNY Canton (8-11, 0-4 SUNYAC) | Cortland (15-7-1, 7-0 SUNYAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Red Dragons did some two-out damage in the bottom of the second with a single, stolen base, then another single to get on the board and ahead 1-0.
• Cortland prolific offense continued to give them a larger and larger advantage with the Red Dragons scoring two more in the third and one more in the fourth to go up 4-0.
• The Roos had a difficult time solving Cortland starting pitcher Warren Miller. SUNY Canton did not have a baserunner until Jared Paone's walk in the fourth and were held hitless until Derek Maldonado's single in the fifth.
• The top of the order got it done though in the sixth inning with Campi lacing a single and McLean drawing a walk. Paone gave himself up in a sacrifice bunt, and then Eliezer Vázquez drove Campi in with a sacrifice fly as the Roos got on the board.
• The Roos had trouble getting the third out in the bottom of the fifth though, giving up several free passes and three singles as the Red Dragons expanded their lead to 9-1 with a four-run fifth.
• The Roos could not muster a heck of a lot in the final innings. Only a hit-by-pitch by Maldonado in the seventh, and a single by McLean in the eighth were the only baserunners that the Roos managed beyond the sixth.
• Cortland ended the game prematurely with two runs in the eighth to win game one of the series 11-1 in eight innings.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Campi, McLean, and Maldonado had the three hits for SUNY Canton with Vázquez driving in the lone run.
• Four Red Dragons had two-hit afternoons with Nolan Smith leading the pack with 3 RBIs. Miller earned himself the win on the mound with a very impressive five innings, allowing one hit, two walks, and four strikeouts.
• Cortland outhit the Roos 13-3, drew six walks to SUNY Canton's three, and stole three bases, holding the speedy Roos without a stolen base.

 
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Roos will wrap up their series against the Red Dragons with a doubleheader tomorrow, April 4, at 12 and 3 p.m.
   

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