#8 SUNY Cortland Defeats #21 Moravian in NCAA DIII Regionals
Eighth-ranked, top seed and host SUNY Cortland scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and post a 3-1 victory over 21st-ranked and second seed Moravian College in the final game on the second day of the 2011 NCAA Division III Regionals Saturday in the final winner's bracket game.
Eighth-ranked, top seed and host SUNY Cortland scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 1-1 tie and post a 3-1 victory over 21st-ranked and second seed Moravian College in the final game on the second day of the 2011 NCAA Division III Regionals Saturday in the final winner's bracket game.
The Red Dragons, now 39-3-1, move into the championship round on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. needing just one win to advance to the 2011 NCAA Division III World Series in Salem, Virginia beginning on May 20th. The Greyhounds, now 37-8, will face fourth seeded Piedmont (GA) College in the final elimination game on Sunday at 10:00 a.m., and Moravian will need to win three games to reach its fourth World Series.
The Greyhounds threatened in the top of the first inning when freshman outfielder Miranda Sergas walked with an out, and sophomore third baseman Shannen Mohr was intentionally walked with two outs; however, Moravian wouldn't score.
Cortland did plate a run in the bottom half of the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Second baseman Donnalyn Cross led off with a single, and she scored on a Greyhound throwing error after a sacrifice bunt from third baseman Lucia Meola.
Moravian also threatened in the top of the second when the Greyhounds loaded the bases on a one-out walk by sophomore first baseman Amanda Dizinno, a one-out single from sophomore catcher Tori Thomas and a two-out single by senior second baseman Stephanie Falzarano but once again Moravian didn't score.
The Greyhounds would tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning when junior pitcher Jenna Carmon led off with a single and scored an RBI ground out by senior outfielder Amanda Paulus.
The next time either team put a runner in scoring position was Moravian in the top of the sixth inning when Dizinno led off with a single and sophomore pinch runner Samantha Mulderig was stranded at second base.
The Red Dragons finally scored twice in the bottom half of the sixth for a 3-1 lead. Pinch runner Charlotte Freed scored on an error in the Moravian outfield on a single by designated player Lorraine Stoddard, who was called out on the play for missing second base, while outfielders Cassie Kardias and Meaghan Kohler hit back-to-back doubles to plate the second run.
Cortland had a 9-6 edge in hits with Cross, Stoddard and Kardias all going two-for-three with Kardias and Cross scoring runs. Carmon was one-for-three with a run for the Greyhounds.
In the circle, Carmon, pictured at left, fell to 14-5 on the year, allowing three runs, only one earned, on nine hits in six innings of action. Lyndsay Rowell picked up the win for the Red Dragons, giving up an unearned run on six hits and three walks while striking out three.
