By Brianna Case
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Blaise Whitman (Rhode Island) allowed one unearned run on three hits over six and two-thirds almost as the Syracuse Salt Cats (16-13) won the first of a doubleheader split (2-1/3-2) with the Cortland Crush (11-14) in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Onondaga Community College, Wednesday.
“I’ve made a couple adjustments coming off school, I was able to fix a couple things, get better control, and feel more comfortable on the mound now,” Whitman said. “I feel like I’ve got a good team, I’ve got guys that makes plays behind me and feel confident.”
Ben Sawyer (Alvernia) provided the offense. The Salt Cat designated hitter singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch in the second.
Sawyer’s one-out double in the sixth plated Cody Labadia (Southern Vermont) with the eventual game-winner. Labadia led the stanza with a walk. Matt Mastroianni (SUNY Oneonta) moved the runner with a sacrifice bunt before Sawyer drilled the first pitch from Cortland reliever Luke Drancsak (Onondaga CC) to make it a 2-1 game.
Cortland scored their lone run in the third. Geoffrey Seto (Niagara) rapped a one-out single and eventually scored on a Greg Jasek (Clarkson) ground out.
Whitman retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced.
“I tried to mix speeds between fast balls, change ups, sliders, tried to keep them off balance, and keep them guessing,” Whitman said.
Yale Hughes (West Liberty) allowed one run on three hits and three walks for the game two win. The Cortland right-hander fanned four en route to his first win of the season. He has an ERA of 1.97.
Tom Taplin (University of Buffalo) worked two innings for his second save of the summer.
Syracuse jumped to an early lead. Nick DeRegis (Rhode Island) singled and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Cortland tied the score in the fourth. Alex Lind (Lake Erie College) plated Nick Rybarczyk (So. Illinois-Carbondale) with a triple.
Cortland added two in the fifth. Yahriel Jimenez (Siena) singled home Sean McCoy (Pomona-Pitzer), and Geoffrey Seto (Niagara U) delivered with a base hit bringing home Henry Pellicciotti (Broome CC).
Syracuse threatened in the sixth. Julian Bilodeau (Franklin Pierce) rapped a two-out double, and DeRegis walked, but the Salt Cats could not capitalize.
Shane Cochran (Saginaw Valley St.) took the loss. He is 3-3 on the season.
“We just fell apart, didn’t think, and made a lot of mistakes,” said Salt Cats coach Mike Martinez.
Game one was a makeup from Tuesday’s rainout in Cortland. The Crush were still the home team on Wednesday.
The same two teams meet in Cortland, Thursday for a 7 p.m. start at Beaudry Park
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