ONEONTA, N.Y. – Senior Andersen Gardner (Fairport) hit a three-run homer and senior Steve Nickel (Lake Ronkonkoma/Sachem North) went 4-for-5 with a walk and an RBI as Cortland defeated host Oneonta, 8-6, to salvage a split of a SUNYAC doubleheader. Oneonta won the opener, 4-1, as Dave Filak tossed a seven-hitter with 14 strikeouts.

Cortland, ranked 15th nationally in Division III, is now 25-7 overall and 9-1 in the SUNYAC with two league games left. The Red Dragons host Plattsburgh (5-3 in the league) in a doubleheader Saturday and need just one win to clinch the conference regular-season title and the right to host the conference tournament May 7-9. Plattsburgh needs two wins over Cortland and two Sunday at Oswego to earn the league's top spot.

Cortland recorded 16 hits in the second game versus Oneonta. In addition to Nickel's four-hit outing, senior John Zilnicki (Riverhead) went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a walk, two RBI and two runs scored and sophomore Matt June (Colonie) was 2-for-4 with a walk and RBI. Junior Jason Simone (Utica/Thomas R. Proctor) finished 2-for-5, while Gardner and senior Adam Dimino (Honeoye Falls/Honeoye Falls-Lima) each were 2-for-6.

Michael Center and Michael DeCarr each were 2-for-4 and Carmine Caputo went 2-for-5 for Oneonta (19-8, 3-4 SUNYAC).

Junior Scott Hartling (Pleasant Valley/Arlington) earned the win for Cortland in relief of starter Kris Gentzke (Clarence Center/Clarence). Hartling entered in the fourth inning and gave up only two hits and one unearned run in four and two-third innings. He struck out three and walked one. Gentzke allowed seven hits and four runs in three and a third innings. Senior Ed Southworth (Cortland) started the ninth and earned his fourth save of the season despite allowing a run on two hits. Oneonta had the runners on first and third with one out before Southworth induced a double play grounder to end the game.

Oneonta led 1-0 in the first on a Center RBI single, but Cortland scored twice in the second on a Zilnicki RBI double and a wild pitch. Caputo's RBI single in the second tied the game for the hosts.

In the fourth, Justin Fredenburg (Saugerties) led off with a double for Cortland and Zilnicki followed with a double to give the Red Dragons the lead. Later in the inning, Gardner hit a three-run homer – his fourth of the season – to put Cortland up 6-2.

Oneonta answered with two runs in the fourth, and the score remained 6-4 until the top of the seventh when June and Nickel singled in runs to extend the lead to 8-4. Michael Mascari singled home a run for Oneonta in the seventh and Scott Dubben added an RBI single in the ninth for the hosts.

In the opener, Filak stayed perfect on the season at 5-0 with his 14-strikeout effort. Oneonta scored on a Steve Gauck RBI single in the second and picked up two in the fourth on another Gauck RBI single and a Pete Lindner sacrifice fly to take a 3-0 lead. Caputo's run-scoring single in the sixth put Cortland in a 4-0 hole.

Cortland's run came in the seventh when Simone singled with one out, went to third on a Khyle Dimino (Brighton) double and scored on a Kevin Jackson (Wappingers Falls/Roy C. Ketcham) groundout. The Red Dragons had runners on second and third in the fifth and first and second in the eighth, but couldn't score.

Gauck was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Caputo finished 2-for-5 with an RBI for Oneonta. Gardner went 2-for-3 with a walk, while June and Simone each finished 2-for-4 for Cortland. Mike Assmann (Auburn) started for Cortland and was tagged for six hits and five walks in six and a third innings. He struck out three and gave up four runs, three earned. Rich Morris (Milton/Marlboro) allowed three hits but no runs over the final inning and two thirds.

Game 1 Box Score

Game 2 Box Score