The Basics
Score: Roanoke 10 | #2 Cortland 2
Records: Maroons 7-7 / 0-2 ODAC | Red Dragons 11-4
Location: Salem, Va.
The Lead: On what started off being two games in two days, the first of the two-game series between Roanoke and Cortland would be suspended due to rain and resume on Thursday prior to the start of game two. The Maroons held a 6-2 lead when the skies opened and would grow the lead to win game one, 10-2. The second game would see the nation's #2 ranked team hold an early, 4-0, advantage. Hover, Roanoke used a six-run inning to take the lead and hold on for the 8*-5 sweep of the Red Dragons.
Highlights:
- The Maroons would fall behind, 2-0, after just one inning of play. Jonny Wall doubled and would eventually score on a wild pitch to cut the RC deficit in half.
- With a pair of runners on in the fourth, Owen Lawn blasted a 3-run Home Run to right center as Roanoke surged ahead 4-2.
- Will Smith tripled ahead of a PK Cocolis walk to put two more Maroons on base. Mason Staz singled to left to increase the Roanoke edge to 6-2. That's when the rain became too much to continue and the game was suspended.
- Upon resumption, Lawn doubled down the right field line and would score on a Carson McCusker base hit. McCusker scored on a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Bonzon and Smith made it 9-2 with an RBI double. A run in the seventh would see Roanoke pick up a 10-2 win.
- Jackson Murphy pitched 4.1 innings of two-hit, shutout, relief to pick up the win. The RC bullpen went 7.1 innings, giving up just six hits, of shutout work.
- Lawn and Wall combined to go 4-7 with five runs and three RBI. Smith and Hunter Andrews added two hits apiece.
The Basics
Score: Roanoke 8 | Cortland 5
Records: Maroons 8-7 / 0-2 ODAC | Red Dragons 11-5
Location: Salem, Va.
Highlights:
- Cortland looked to earn a split as the Red Dragons raced out to a 4-0 lead, going into the bottom of the sixth.
- Wall singled and Bonzon was hit by a pitch. Trevor Moore was summoned to pinch hit and he delivered a 2-RBI double to left to start a Roanoke rally. McCusker reached on an error and Smith walked t load the bases. Conner Butler put the Maroons in front with a Grand Slam over the left field wall, Roanoke 6-4.
- In the top of the eighth Cortland got to within a run, 6-5, before the Maroons put the game away in the bottom half. Butler and Peter Nichols would each score on wild pitches to make it a sweep with an 8-5 win in game two.
- Butler finished 2-4 with a pair of runs scored and four RBI. Staz went 2-4 with Lawn going 3-5. Trailing 4-0, Braeden Farrell went 1.1 of scoreless work while Austin Bansek notched his first save of the season.
Up next: Roanoke makes the trip to Hampden-Sydney on Saturday for an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) double header.