The No. 3 Oswego State baseball team dropped a 4-1 contest to No. 1 Cortland in the winner's bracket before having its elimination game with Brockport suspended in the bottom of the eighth inning. Due to rain and darkness setting in, the Lakers and Golden Eagles will resume play on at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday with Brockport holding a 3-2 lead. If the game goes into extra innings and lasts into the 14th inning, the `if necessary,` game of the championship round will be moved to Monday.
GAME ONE – No. 1 Cortland 4, No. 3 Oswego 1:
Miles Kelly took the loss on the mound despite a solid outing, throwing 6.2 innings. The right-hander scattered 10 hits while on the rubber, allowing four runs, only three of which were earned. Pat Brown tossed the final 1.1 frames for Oswego, giving up just two hits and no runs.
The Lakers' one run tied the game at 1-1 in the fifth inning as they put together a series of hits with two outs. Dan Karleski, batting in the lead-off spot for Oswego, stepped to the plate with two outs and singled to center field. Senior Scott Buniak showed his skill and speed in the next at-bat, laying down a beautiful bunt down the third-base line and beating out the throw at first.
Up next was Tim Smith, who would not let the opportunity be squandered, singling to left-center field, allowing Karleski to reach home from second.
Cortland got its first run in its opening visit to the dish, sending a double down the left-field line with runners on the corners. It then answered Oswego's fifth-inning score with one in the bottom of the frame, representing the eventual game-winner. The Red Dragons then tacked on two runs in the seventh for insurance, which forced the Lakers to their bullpen.
Oswego threatened to tie or take the lead in the sixth inning, putting runners on the corners with just one out before grounding into an inning-ending double play.
Eric Hamilton finished 2-for-4 for Oswego as he was the only Laker with multiple hits. Karleski, Buniak, Smith, Jordan Giller, Tom Curry and Mike McMullen each finished with a hit apiece. Curry also finished with a stolen base.
