Cortland, NY (May 17, 2019) - Top Seeded SUNY Cortland (32-11-1)  jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and went on to score seven runs on ten hits an a 7-3 win over #4 Alvernia University (28-15-2) in the first game of the Cortland, New York Regional on Friday at SUNY Cortland.

Alvernia falls into the losers bracket and will face #2 Penn State Harrisburg, who fell to Tufts 13-5, in the first elimination game of the double elimination tournament at 9:00 AM on Saturday. SUNY Cortland will face Tufts in the winners bracket.

The Red Dragons opened the scoring with a three run home run to left field with two outs in the bottom of the first. They then went up 4-0 with an RBI single to left center.

After being held hitless for the first three innings, the Golden Wolves got their offense going with a three run inning in the top of the fourth. With runners on second and third, Franco Esposito drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice hit back at the pitcher. Jami Wendel then attempted a squeeze with Matt Briner on third, but Briner was out on the play. Logan Levan walked in the next at-bat, and then Alex Salesky single to left field to bring in Wendel. Levan then scored on a single by Joe Ginder and a throwing error by the Dragons to cap off the inning and bring Alvernia within one at 4-3.

In the second at-bat of the bottom of the fourth, the Red Dragons hit their second homer of the day, this time a low line drive over the center field fence to go up 5-3.

Cortland added two in the bottom of the sixth to go up 7-3.

The Golden Wolves could not string together hits over the final three innings and would strand two in the top of the ninth as the Dragons earned the 7-3 win.

Tim Carfery got the start and went five and a third in the loss.

Nathan Sides and Briner each had two hits for Alvernia, with Sides also scoring a run.

Alvernia will need three straight wins to get back out of the losers bracket and have a chance to force the if necessary game on Sunday.