CORTLAND STATE ENDS TIGERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES WITH 9-6 WIN

Game Box Score

GRAND CHUTE, WI—Cortland State University used a six run third inning to take a six run lead, then held off a late Hampden-Sydney rally to stave off elimination with a 9-6 victory in the second round of play at the 2005 NCAA Division III Baseball Championship Series at Fox Cities Stadium Saturday afternoon. With the win, Cortland State advances into Sunday’s elimination contest against either Wisconsin-Whitewater or Chapman, while the Tigers end their season with a 27-15 overall record.

The two teams battled back and forth over the first two and one-half innings as Cortland State scored two runs in its half of the first inning on a Travis Robinson two-run homer, while the Tigers added runs in the first and third innings on RBI hits by Mike Clark (Kinsale, VA/Washington and Lee) to deadlock the game at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the third.

In the bottom half of the third, Cortland pounded out six hits and scored six runs, thanks in part to a bases loaded double off the top of the left field wall by catcher Erik Johnson that cleared the bases and gave the Red Dragons an 8-2 advantage. Clutch RBI hits by Joe Knowles (Lynchburg, VA/Heritage ) and David Cameron (Midlothian, VA/Midlothian) started a four-run Tiger rally in the eighth inning after Cortland starter Mike Burnett was chased after walking the bases loaded, as H-SC cut the Red Dragon lead to 8-6.

Cortland added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when Jimmy Basnight singled to score pinch-runner Will Groff. Cortland closer Nick McPartland then worked the final frame to close out the contest for the Red Dragons.

Tiger starter Jayson Hanky ( Richmond , VA /Benedictine) took the loss after allowing eight runs on eight hits over two and one-third innings of work. Hanky gave way to sophomore Larry Greene ( Alexandria, VA/ West Potomac) who allowed one run on four hits, while striking out five over the final five and two-thirds innings. Burnett earned the win for the Red Dragons after working seven innings and allowing five runs on seven hits while walking five and striking out five.

Hampden-Sydney concludes its season with the most wins in one season for a team in school history (27), while the Tigers also became the first-ever Old Dominion Athletic Conference baseball team to advance to the Division III Championship Series.

 -www.hsc.edu/athletics-