BOXSCORE
Resiliency is a great characteristic for a student-athlete. The ability to bounce back from adversity, be it an early deficit, a prolonged slump or a nagging injury, is a testament to a team's mental strength.
The College at Brockport's baseball team has displayed an amazing ability to rebound from adverse circumstances, and during Saturday's New York Regional of the NCAA tournament, the Golden Eagles' resiliency was once again on display.
The Golden Eagles spotted State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) rival Cortland a 6-0 lead during their win-or-go-home elimination game from Falcon Park in Auburn, NY. Despite the early deficit, Brockport fought back, trailed 6-3 and had the tying run at the plate, but just couldn't complete the comeback.
Brockport, which won 11 of its last 14 games to advance this far in regionals, fell to Cortland 9-4, ending its season with a 30-14 overall record. The Red Dragons advanced into the New York Regional finals against Keystone (PA) College for a berth in the College World Series.
The fourth-seeded Green and Gold fell to 6-4 all-time in the regional round, and 7-6 all-time in the NCAA tournament. Brockport was making its third-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament after the Golden Eagles earned their first-ever at-large bid into the field. The Golden Eagles also played in the postseason in both 2004 and 2010.
Cortland (36-9), ranked No. 8 in the country and the Regional's top-seeded team, scored one run in the first and pushed its lead to 4-0 in the second after the Red Dragons strung together three RBI singles.
The Red Dragons tacked on two additional runs in the top of the fifth, pushing a single up the middle past Brockport's drawn-in infield. Brockport starter Mark Ciccotti (Breesport, NY/Horseheads) departed with the Green and Gold trailing 6-0. Ciccotti (2-4) allowed six runs (four earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings of work.
The Golden Eagles finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. After being held to just two hits over the first two frames, senior Tom McCormick (Utica, NY/Utica Notre Dame) and senior Mike Goldstein (Slingerlands, NY/Guilderland) delivered back-to-back one-out singles for the Golden Eagles' first threat of the afternoon. Sophomore Jake Coleman (Hilton, NY/Hilton) got Brockport on the board with an RBI single into right-center field. Coleman moved to second base on the throw and both he and Goldstein eventually scored when senior Max Zimmerman (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) reached on a throwing error.
Brockport reliever Aaron Tilley (Troy, NY/Troy) did an excellent job of holding the potent Cortland attack in check. Cortland seemed poised to extend its lead in the sixth. The Red Dragons put runners on second and third with two outs, but Tilley, a junior left-hander, got a fly ball out to end the threat.
The Green and Gold loaded the bases in the bottom half of the sixth. Junior Anthony Siracusa (Auburn, NY/Auburn) delivered a leadoff bunt single and moved to second on sophomore Mike Weakley's (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) single into left field. Following a pair of strikeouts, McCormick was hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Brockport couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, and the Golden Eagles still trailed 6-3.
Unfortunately for Brockport, the Red Dragons did capitalize on their next scoring opportunity, pushing across a pair of runs in the eighth on a two-out single into center field for an 8-3 lead.
Cortland starting pitcher Scott Hartling (5-0) earned the win, allowing four runs on nine hits with 10 strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings pitched.
The Golden Eagles tried to mount a comeback in the eighth. Senior Zach Prentice (Auburn, NY/Auburn) singled up the middle and moved to second on a wild pitch. Junior Mike DeGregory (Saratoga Springs, NY/Schuylerville) reached on a fielding error that allowed Prentice to move to third, and Prentice crossed the plate with Brockport's fourth run after McCormick lofted a run-scoring sacrifice fly into left field. Another wild pitch let DeGregory move to second base, and Goldstein sent a single through the left side of the infield. DeGregory tried to score on the play, but Cortland made a precise relay throw and DeGregory was out at the plate to end the inning.
After Cortland added a run in the ninth, Brockport was retired in order to end the game, and the season. Coleman finished 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, Goldstein went 2-for-4 and scored a run while senior Max Keado (Troy, NY/Catholic Central), Siracusa, Weakley, Prentice, DeGregory and McCormick each had a hit for the Golden Eagles.
The 30 wins for Brockport are the most since the 2004 College World Series-bound Golden Eagles won a school-record 34 games.
