BOXSCORE CORTLAND, N.Y. -- Fredonia State advanced to the semifinal round of the SUNYAC Tournament with a 6-4 win Saturday over New Paltz.
Sean Larson (Angola) and
Kyle Grey (Friewsburg) combined on a seven-hitter and
Kenny Johnston (Buffalo) had three RBI as the Blue Devils improved to 19-15. They will play later this afternoon against the loser of today's Oswego at Cortland winner's bracket game. Tentative game time is 4 p.m.
Larson overcame a rocky first inning to notch third win of the season against three losses. He retired the first New Paltz hitter before the inning turned sour. A hit, a fielder's choice and throwing error by Larson, and a three-run homer by David Lostaglio put the Blue Devils in a early hole.
Yet Larson righted himself and left with a 6-4 lead after six innings. He allowed four runs -- three earned -- on six hits with two strikeouts and two walks.
The Blue Devils wasted a scoring chance in the third inning. Johnston drew a lead-off walk and moved to third on a one-out single by
Conner Lorenzo (Rochester). Both were left stranded.
Fredonia State did not waste its next opportunity one inning later.
Dillon Lowe (Pittsford) singled and
Ian Gallagher (Pittsford) walked to get the inning started. After
John Bennett (Churchville) dropped a sacrifice bunt,
Matt Casilio (Webster) singled to right to score Lowe. Johnston then split the gap in right-center for a two-run double. Lorenzo capped the inning with an RBI single as the Blue Devils took a 4-3 lead.
The Blue Devils turned a lead-off walk to Gallagher into a run in the fifth. Following Bennett's second sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Johnston singled. It was his second hit and third RBI of the game.
Fredonia State's two-run lead was shortlived as New Paltz scored its fourth run off Larson in the last of the fifth. The junior right-hander then escaped a first-and-third jam in the sixth before exiting in favor of Grey.
A junior left-hander, Grey worked three scoreless innings to pick up his second save of the season. He allowed only one hit, walked one, and had three strikeouts.
Fredonia State added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Lowe led off the inning with a double, stole third, and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Johnston, his fourth RBI of the game.
