ABERDEEN, MD. – Justin Bates' pinch-hit, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth lifted Montclair State past Cortland, 11-10, to complete the Red Hawks' non-league doubleheader sweep of Cortland at the Ripken Experience Complex. Montclair (7-4) won the opener, 15-10, rallying from an early 6-1 deficit with 12 runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Cortland (4-7) will begin its Spring Break trip in Lexington, S.C., this Friday, March 13, with a game at Case Western Reserve. The Red Dragons are currently scheduled to play nine games in South Carolina, including three SUNYAC games versus Brockport March 21-22. There is a chance, however, that part of the non-league schedule may be adjusted.

Montclair St. 15, Cortland 10

Montclair led 1-0 after three innings before a wild fourth frame that saw a combined 18 runs scored. Cortland scored six times in the top of the inning, highlighted by Ricky Sisto's (Liverpool) two-run double and RBI singles by Danny Coleman (Saratoga Springs), Garrett Hunter (Virginia Beach, VA/Frank W. Cox) and Scott Giordano (Croton-on-Hudson/Croton-Harmon). Montclair answered by sending 16 batters to the plate in its 12-run bottom of the fourth. Miles Feaster had a two-run single, Joe Norton hit a three-run double, Christopher Walker hit a three-run homer and Hayden Reyes added a two-run double to provide most of the runs in the inning.

James Varian (Hopewell Junction/Trinity-Pawling) was 3-for-5 with a double and two RBI, Andrew Michalski (Buffalo/St. Francis) was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs, and Hunter and Giordano and Hunter each finished 2-for-5. Norton, Feaster, Michael Schweyher and Peter Cosentino each had three hits for Montclair.

Mike Hennessy (Smithtown/Smithtown East) was Cortland's most effective pitcher. He entered in the fifth inning and, despite allowing two inherited runners to score, shut down the Hawks over their final three innings. He gave up three hits and no runs in four innings of work and retired the last eight batters he faced. Matthew Mincieli earned the win for Montclair with four and a third relief innings. He entered during the top of the fourth and was the pitcher of record when Montclair took the lead in the bottom of the inning.

Montclair St. 11, Cortland 10

Cortland led 5-1 after two and half innings, but Montclair rallied and led 10-7 after five. That was still the score when the Red Dragons scored once in the top of the eighth on Varian RBI single, but left the bases loaded.

Cortland, however, dramatically rallied to tie the game in the top of the ninth. Anthony Donofrio (Massapequa/St. Anthony's) singled with one out, Mat Bruno (Rye) was hit by a pitch and, with two outs, Colin BeVard (Syracuse/West Genesee) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Varian followed with a two-run double down the left field line to tie the game, although BeVard was thrown out at home in an attempt to score the go-ahead run to end the inning.

In the bottom of the ninth, Norton led off with a single and Andrew Ollwerther singled with one out to put runners on first and third. Cortland elected to intentionally walk Walker before Bates hit the winning single to cap a 3-hour, 31-minute game and a combined six hours and 54 minutes of game time for the doubleheader.

Ollwerther and Anthony Guarino each had four hits for Montclair. BeVard finished 4-for-5, Donofrio was 3-for-4, Bruno was 3-for-5 and Varian went 3-for-6 with four RBI for Cortland. Wyatt Myers (Chittenango) hit a two-run homer and Ben Rhodes (Amsterdam) drove in three runs.

Justin Silva picked up the win after entering the game in the top of the eighth with two on and two out.