By CODY LOVE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — After blowing a large lead over Syracuse on Wednesday, Oneonta built one they wouldn’t relinquish in the rematch.
The Oneonta Outlaws earned a split in their four-game series, overpowering the Syracuse Salt Cats 11-4 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse on Wednesday night.
Both teams got their first runs in the fourth inning, but the Outlaws found themselves trailing 3-2.
They rebounded to score runs in each of the last four innings, including a three-run sixth that gave them the lead for good, and a four-run ninth.
In the sixth, singles by Trevor Putzig (Tennessee Tech) and Alexander Rojas (Eastern New Mexico) brought an end to they day for Salt Cats starter Anderson Burgess (Coppin State).
Taylor Maxey (Tennessee Tech) then loaded the bases with another single off reliever Erik Johansen (SUNY Oneonta).
Hayden Gerlach (Grand Canyon) came up next and brought home the tying run with a sacrifice fly.
A few batters later, with two outs, Tyler Bruno (Iona) hit a 2-RBI single to give Oneonta a 5-3 lead.
“I was just trying to look for a pitch I could handle,” Bruno said. “Just square a ball up and hit it through the infield.”
Bruno would add another RBI on a suicide squeeze in the eighth, finishing 2-for-4 on the night.
“I was just trying to get the job done in every spot I came up in,” he said.
An RBI single by David Nuzzo (Onondaga Community College) in the bottom half brought the score to 7-4, but the chance for more runs was ended when Tim Hunter was caught at the plate by a great throw from right fielder Jordan “McClain” Bradley (Wofford) to end the inning.
The Outlaws responded with their biggest inning of the night in the ninth to put the game out of reach.
Oneonta hitters walked five times in the inning resulting in three runs, with RBI credited to Maxey, and Jessey Valdez (Dean).
A run also scored on ball four to Bruno but it was the result of a wild pitch.
CJ Krowiak (Binghamton) also got an RBI on a sacrifice fly.
After Oneonta had gotten ahead 2-0 in the top of the fourth, the Salt Cats responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half.
Lucas Tevlin (Binghamton, single) and Jose “Manny” Colon (Rutgers-Camden, groundout), each grabbed and RBI to tie the game.
Brian Bilello (Concordia) scored the go-ahead run as a result of a passed ball.
A walk to Matt Mastroianni (SUNY Oneonta) ended starter Ryan Murray’s (Stonehill) day.
Mike Diorio (Rider) relieved him and got the third out of the inning.
He then stuck around for three and a third innings of strong relief, allowing one earned run and picking up the win.
“I knew that a lot of the guys had been throwing a lot and their arms were tired,” Diorio said, “I was just trying to go out there for as long as I could.”
The loss was charged to Burgess, who allowed four runs (3 earned).
Bradley went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a triple.
Maxey went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a double.
Valdez got a triple in his only at-bat and eventually scored.
The Outlaws (13-14) earned a split in the four-game series with the Salt Cats (19-12).
“We hit the ball pretty good the whole series,” Outlaws manager Joe Hughes said. “It was a good series against a good team.”
The road team won every game in the series.
Oneonta is back in action on Thursday with a “home-and-home” doubleheader against the Geneva Red Wings at Damaschke Field starting at 7:00 p.m.
The Salt Cats play an away game against the Sherrill Silversmiths on Thursday at 2:00 that has been moved to Onondaga Community College.
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