May 17, 2024 2 min read

By The Observer-Reporter

CORTLAND, N.Y. – Luis Misla struck out 11 over seven innings, and Cortland used a pair of four-run innings to beat Washington & Jefferson 9-2 Friday on the opening day of the NCAA Division III baseball tournament’s Cortland Regional.

W&J (32-13) led 2-0 before Cortland scored four times in the fifth inning to take the lead. Cortland added four more runs in the sixth.

Cortland (31-12-1) will play Salve Regina on Saturday at noon. The top-seeded Seahawks topped Colby 10-5 to open play Friday. The Mules will take on W&J in an elimination game at 8:30 a.m.

W&J opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the third inning. Brendan Cruz drew a leadoff walk before moving to second on a bunt by Ben Schuler. A single by Jacob LaDuca moved Cruz to third and a wild pitch gave W&J a 1-0 lead.

Nolan Lutz then stroked a two-out RBI single to score LaDuca, who used a nifty slide to elude the tag of the Cortland catcher.

Cortland saw its offense come alive in the bottom of the fifth. Six straight Red Dragons reached base as they pushed four runs across in the inning to take a 4-2 lead. A three-run triple by Chris Bonacci highlighted the inning.

Cortland’s Mat Bruno hit a two-run homer in the sixth and the Red Dragons tacked on an unearned run in the seventh inning.

W&J was held to four hits, two by Drew Garth.

Presidents starting pitcher Anthony Pass gave up seven hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings.