Rams Fall to Cortland State in Non-Conference Game

Cortland State - 16, Farmingdale State - 5

Farmingdale, N.Y. - The Farmingdale State baseball team was defeated by Cortland State, 16-5, this afternoon in Farmingdale, N.Y. The Rams now stand at 4-10 on the season, while the Red Dragons improved to 5-2.

Cortland State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back RBI singles by senior Steve Nickel (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North) and junior Jason Simone (Utica, N.Y./Thomas R. Proctor). Senior Adam Dimino (Homeoye Falls, N.Y./Homeoye Falls-Lima) led off the top of the third inning with a triple to left center, followed by a Nickel homerun down the right field line, which put the Red Dragons ahead 4-0. In the bottom of the third, junior Nick Wiwczar (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) scored the first run for Farmingdale as senior Frank Yera (Manhattan, N.Y./Grand Street Campus) was caught stealing second base, cutting the deficit to 5-1.

The Red Dragons added four runs in the fourth and five runs in the fifth inning, to open up a 14-2 lead. Farmingdale scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth and added two in the eighth, but dropped the non-conference matchup with Cortland State 16-5.

Wiwczar was 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and freshman Chris Longo (Commack, N.Y./Commack) went 1-for-2 with an RBI for the Rams.

Cortland State was led by Nickel who batted 3-for-4 with four RBI's and three runs scored. Simone went 4-for-5 at the plate, had six RBI's and two runs, while Dimino had two hits, four runs scored and one run batted in.

Junior starting pitcher Travis Ratliff (Levittown, N.Y./Division Ave.) earned the win pitching 5.2 innings, allowing only two earned runs on five hits. Farmingdale's Vinny Messana (Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Centereach) was issued the loss after allowing four earned runs in two innings pitched.

Farmingdale State will host Southern Maine on Saturday, March 13th at 10:00 a.m.

*****