Baseball Splits Tuesday's Twin Bill At Cornell
Photo: Craig Lepre went 3-for-3 and finished a triple shy of the cycle in game two.
Box Score Game 1 (4-1, W)
Box Score Game 2 (5-4, L)
Updated Season Stats
ITHACA, N.Y. –The University at Albany baseball team brought Cornell University's seven-game win streak to a screeching halt Tuesday afternoon at Hoy Field, as the Great Danes captured a 4-1 victory in game one of the day's doubleheader. The Big Red (12-6), however, edged UAlbany (7-11), 5-4, with a walk-off home run in the nightcap to split the non-conference twin bill.
Freshman Evan Harasta had his best game yet in a Great Dane uniform, going 3-for-3 with three runs batted in, and his first career home run. The rookie accounted for half of his team's hits in the victory, as Gordon Madej (1-for-3), D.J. Hoagboon (1-for-3), and Adam Mund (1-for-3) accounted for the others.
On the mound, senior Austin Chase (1-3) tossed all seven innings, earning the win. Chase held the Big Red hitless until the fourth inning, and allowed just one run and three hits total, while striking out five.
UAlbany's scoring began in the second inning with an unearned run, as Nethaway drew a leadoff walk, advanced on a muffed throw on Hoagboon's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Harasta's liner to right field.
The Great Danes made it 2-0 in the fourth when Harasta belted a leadoff shot over the left field wall.
UAlbany struck again in the fifth. Madej led off with a single to centerfield and advanced to third after Nethaway's walk and Hoagboon's bunt single. Harasta came up big again, driving home Madej with a single to right and Welsh brought in Nethaway with his sac fly to center.
Leading 4-0, Cornell tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth, as JD Whetsel singled down the left field line at the top of the order, stole second, and advanced to third on a groundout. Whetsel tagged home on Matt Hall's sacrifice fly to right field, but that would be Cornell's lone run of the game.
The Big Red divided the contest among three arms with Michael Byrne (1-1) taking the loss.
In game two, Cornell struck first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second. Whetsel drew a one-out walk and Spenser Souza brought him in with a triple to left-center. Immediately following, Souza crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly.
UAlbany answered right back, however, scoring one in the third. Despite Matt Hinchy reaching on a single and Luke Burns drawing a walk, Cornell's defense quickly ceased the rally, gunning down Hinchy's stolen base attempt, in addition to picking off Burns at first. With two outs, Craig Lepre doubled down the right field line and advanced to third on an error. Madej knocked home the run with a single up the middle. Cornell starter Roberto Suppa faced a bases loaded jam after walking Hoagboon, but was able to end the side with a groundout.
UAlbany tied it up, 2-2, in the fifth, as Lepre lined a leadoff single through the right side. Gaige and Madej followed with back-to-back singles, loading the bases. Hoagboon plated Lepre with a grounder to second, but reliever Eric Upton recorded two strikeouts to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the frame, Cornell regained the lead, using a leadoff walk, stolen base, and fielder's choice to travel around the diamond.
In the seesawing game, the Great Danes took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Greg Muller reached on a bunt single, and Lepre followed with a two-run home run over the right field wall.
However, Cornell rallied in its seventh inning at-bats. UAlbany reliever Stephen Carey hit the leadoff batter, and Ben Swinford tagged Brendan Ryan for a one-out walk-off home run to left field.
Ryan (0-1) took the loss for UAlbany, marking the Great Danes' fourth pitcher in the contest. Kevin Archbold, Andrew Jaurique, and Carey also saw time on the hill.
Cornell's Zach McCulley (2-0) earned the win, throwing just the final inning.
Offensively, Lepre finished a triple shy of the cycle, as he went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in and three runs scored. Madej (3-for-4) also had three hits in the game, as well as one RBI.
The Great Danes resume America East Conference play this weekend against Maine. Originally scheduled to play a three-game home series versus the Black Bears, UAlbany will now travel to Orono, Maine because of unplayable field conditions.
