Scott Seabury went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and a run batted in
to lead the State University of New York-Cortland to a 5-1 win over Montclair
State University (N.J.) in an NCAA Division III College World Series opening-round
game Friday afternoon at Fox Cities Stadium.
SUNY-Cortland, now 36-7 overall, advances
to play the University of St. Thomas (Minn., 33-12) in a championship-bracket
contest in the double-elimination tournament Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Montclair State,
now 37-7-1 overall, will play Emory University (Ga., 33-15) in an elimination
game Saturday at 10 a.m. St. Thomas beat Emory 8-3 in the first game of the tournament
on Friday.
A close 2-1 contest was broken open
in the ninth inning, when SUNY-Cortland secured the win with a three-run frame.
Consecutive doubles by Seabury and Scott Weston to open the inning plated one
run, with Travis Smith driving in Weston on a single. Weston later scored on a
fielder's choice and catching error.
With a 2-for-4 afternoon, including
a triple and run-scoring single, Smith extended his hitting streak to 16 straight
games.
"(Cortland keeps) coming after
you. Their outfielders were in tremendous defensive position," said Montclair
state head coach Norm Schoenig. We did everything we could do defensively to keep
the game 2-1. We had some success doing that, but they put a great deal of pressure
on us.
"(Cortland) did a pretty good
job today. They were pretty tough today. There's no excuses. If you want to get
where you want to go, you have to beat the best and they're pretty good."
Montclair opened the game with its
lone run, as Craig Conway drove in Dave Wurst on a first-inning single.
SUNY-Cortland took the lead in the
third, scoring two runs. A single by Seabury drove in Greg Scerba, and a sacrifice
fly by Scott Weston plated Craig Kerner.
The Red Dragons had numerous opportunities
to break open the game earlier against Montclair State starter Greg Belson, but
stranded 16 runners in the game - twice leaving the bases loaded.
"We had the lead, so there wasn't
any pressure," Weston said. "We knew if we kept chipping way, we would
get a couple runs. (Belson) left some pitches out over the plate. We just handled
them."
"I think something we learned
at the regional was that you're going to have rough innings. If you stay together
through that rough inning and understand, you're still in the game," said
SUNY-Cortland head coach Joe Brown. "To begin to press is not really conducive
to getting your team prepared and keeping going. These guys have done a tremendous
job of not letting innings like that get them down."
Phil Benante (5-2) picked up the victory
on the mound for the Red Dragons, pitching eight innings and giving up just six
hits. He walked two and struck out one. Benante allowed just hit from the third
inning until being relieved after the first batter of the ninth inning. Brian
Silsbee pitched the rest of the ninth inning for SUNY-Cortland.
Benante pitched earlier in the season
against Montclair State, in an 11-9 loss March 24. Benante started and gave up
four hits and a walk, charged with four runs before being relieved that day.
"I knew I was a better pitcher
today then I was back then when we played them earlier in the season. I just had
a bad day earlier in the year and that's it. I knew I was a better pitcher,"
Benante said. "It's only one game (today). We still have a lot more work
to do. We came here to get a ring."
Greg Belson (10-2) took the loss for
the Red Hawks, allowing eight hits and eight walks while striking out five. Belson,
a first-team All-American pitcher, entered the game fanning 86 hitters while walking
just 26 this season. Kevin Rakowski-Kuhlman and Corey Hamman finished the game
for Montclair State.
"I struggled with my command
a little bit," Belson said. "I had a high number of walks, which I usually
don't do. There's nothing I can do about that. You just go out and take it day
by day. We'll come back. We have no choice."
Chris Baran had a single for Montclair
State in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to 15 straight games.
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