AUBURNDALE, FLA. -- Jared Turner’s two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the seventh broke a 5-5 tie and No. 8 Webster University went on to defeat No. 7 Cortland 10-5 as the Red Dragons kicked off a seven-game Florida road trip.
The teams combined for 26 hits: 14 by Webster and 12 for Cortland. Turner was 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI and two runs scored and Ryan Hall went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI for Webster (2-0). Joe Winckel was 2-for-3 with a walk and Taylor Stoulp finished 3-for-5.
Cortland’s (5-2) 12 hits included eight doubles and a trip. Conrad Ziemendorf was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, Tim Panetta was 2-for-3 with a double and a walk and Mitch Hollander finished 2-for-4 with two doubles. Adam Smith (Vestal) went 2-for-5 with a triple, RBI and two runs and Vinny Bomasuto (ended 2-for-4 with a double.
Brandon McClain started for Cortland and took a no decision after allowing eight hits, a walk and five runs, four earned, in five and a third innings. Six Cortland relievers combined to allow six hits, two walks and five runs over Webster’s last three at-bats. Brett Buchanan entered in relief of starter Isaac Behme in the fifth inning and earned the win. He gave up four hits and one run in three and a third innings. Behme permitted six hits, two walks and four runs in four and two-third frames.
Webster led 2-0 in the second on a Kevin Kojs RBI single, along with an error after the hit that allowed a run to score. Cortland tied the game in the top of the third on a Smith RBI triple and a Ziemendorf sacrifice fly. The Red Dragons grabbed a 4-2 lead in the fifth on back-to-back, two-out RBI doubles by Ziemendorf and Max Rosing.
The Gorlocks regained the lead with three runs in the sixth. After a one-out walk, Winckel doubled to put runners on second and third and Turner hit an RBI single to center. Three consecutive wild pitches allowed the next two runs to score. Cortland knotted the game in the seventh when Panetta led off with a double, moved to third on a Smith bunt single and scored on a passed ball.
Webster started what proved to be the winning rally with two outs and no one on in the seventh. Taylor Stoulp and Jeff Kammer each singled, Winckel walked to load the bases and Turner lined his two-run single to center. The Gorlocks picked up three insurance runs in the eighth on a Hall two-run double and a Stoulp RBI single.
