July 31, 2021
The Cortland Crush defeated the Hornell Dodgers 5-2 in the first game of the 2021 NYCBL Championships.
Cortland jumped to a 1-0 lead in the first when Javier Rosa scored on a wild pitch with two outs. Rosa had led off the game with a single.
The Crush made it 3-0 with a pair of runs in the 2nd. Nicholas Pastore led off the inning with a single to right center and Michael Breen hit a two-out single just past a diving Ryan Hill (Monroe CC/Mercyhurst) at second base.
The Dodgers got on the board in the top of the 5th. Jack McDonald (Wilmington) drew a two out walk and went to second on a wild pitch before Brendan O’Donnell (Rider) singled him home with a hit into left field.
In the 6th, Matteo Avallone (Alfred State) hit a lead off triple to right center and scored when Jordyn Smith (Grambling) hit a single right up the middle.
The Dodgers stranded two runners on base in the 6th, one in the 7th, and two more in the 8th as they were unable to tie the ballgame.
Cortland added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the 8th on RBI singles by Pastore and Zach Marriott.
McDonald led off the 9th with a hit (his fourth time on base) but the Dodgers were unable to get any more going.
McDonald and Matt Staker (Webster) were each 2 for 3 while O’Donnell and Avallone were 2 for 5. Rich Albrecht (Wilmington) kept the Dodgers in the game with 4.1 innings of relief. He allowed two runs (both in the 8th) on four hits while walking one and striking out five.
Dominic Perachi allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings of work for Cortland. He walked two and struck out 10 to earn the win. Kevin Rosengren allowed three hits in three innings of work to earn the save. He struck out six.
Game 2 of the best of three series is at 3 p.m. at Maple City Park. If game three is necessary it will be played 30 minutes after the completion of game two.
