The Cortland Crush were outhit by the Sherrill Silversmiths just 14-11, but the Silversmiths’ offense rallied late to beat the Crush 10-6 Friday at Wallace Field at SUNY Cortland. The Crush move to 6-7-1 on the season.
The score was tied at four through seven innings, but Sherrill took a step ahead of Cortland in the top of the eighth inning. Julian Salinas (Salve Regina University), who came in for relief for the Crush in the fifth, had no surrendered a run yet but the Silversmiths got to him in the eighth.
Salinas surrendered a walk to begin the inning, then allowed a two-run double before being pulled from the game while being responsible for the runner on. Connor Furst (SUNY Brockport) then came in and gave up a double and a two-run single to give Sherrill an 8-4 lead.
Furst managed to escape the eighth without any further damage, but he allowed a walk, a two-run home run and a single before leaving the game. Gabe Sokol (Kalamazoo College) then came in and recorded three quick outs to end the inning with the Silversmiths up 10-4.
Cortland looked to rally in the bottom of the ninth, and it got out to a quality start. Robby Harrison (Capital University) and Zach Masnikoff (Oberlin College) led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Jamison Howland (Assumption College) and Nick Mahar (SUNY Brockport) were then retired in order. With two outs, Jake Freed kept the inning alive with an RBI single, followed by a walk from Ryne McKinney (Capital University) and an RBI single from Carson Molinaroli (Anderson University) to make the score 10-6. Zach Young (Wells College) looked to continue the rally, but he grounded out to end the game.
Prior to the late game theatrics, much of the offense from both team’s came in the fifth inning. Sherrill led 1-0 through four innings and in the fifth, scored three runs to increase the lead to four.
Cortland had a quick response, scoring four runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score. Grayson Saltzer () reached on an error to begin the inning followed by Max Atkinson () and Masnikoff each hitting a single to load the bases. Howland got the Crush on the board with a two-run single. Mahar then hit an RBI single and Howland scored on a steal of home after Sherrill caught Mahar attempting to steal second base to make it 4-4.
Howland led the crush offensively as he had two hits and two RBIs. Freed and Mahar had a hit and an RBI, Molinaroli had an RBI, Masnikoff had two hits and Atkinson, Harrison and Matt Doherty (Lyndon State College) had a hit.
The Crush play again at 6 p.m. Sunday at Baskins Road Field in Rochester against the Rochester Ridgemen.
