CORTLAND, N.Y. — Behind a dominant outing on the mound and a balanced offensive attack, the Oneonta baseball team secured a 7-2 SUNYAC victory over Canton on Wednesday evening at Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex.
Oneonta improves to 19-16 overall and 7-8 in conference play with the win, while Canton drops to 8-21 (0-14 SUNYAC).
The Red Dragons were led by a complete-game performance from freshman Aiden Chartrand (Harrisville, NY/Harrisville), who moved to 5-0 on the season. The right-hander scattered seven hits over nine innings, allowing just two runs (one earned) while striking out four and working efficiently through 108 pitches.
Offensively, Oneonta got on the board early in the second inning. Senior Brendan Duffy (Southold, NY/Southold Jr./Sr.) sparked the rally with a double before senior Nick Jacoby (Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown) delivered a two-run double to right field, giving the Red Dragons a 2-0 lead.
Oneonta added to its lead in the fifth when senior Anthony Loia (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington) doubled and later scored on an RBI single from junior Sean Clinton (New City, NY/Clarkstown South). Canton responded in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on a pair of Oneonta errors to plate two runs and cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Red Dragons answered right back in the sixth, as sophomore Zachary Rowe (Hudson, NY/Taconic Hills) came around to score on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Ryan Cronin (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) to extend the lead to 4-2.
From there, Oneonta steadily pulled away. Duffy struck again in the eighth with an RBI double, and senior Matt Sandoval (West Islip, NY/West Islip Senior) followed with a run-scoring single to make it 6-2. The Red Dragons added an insurance run in the ninth when Duffy drove in sophomore Joseph Monserrat (Delmar, NY/Bethlehem Central) with a single through the right side.
Duffy paced the offense with a 3-for-5 performance, two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored. Jacoby added two hits and two RBI, while Monserrat and Rowe each contributed multiple hits as part of Oneonta's 12-hit effort.
Defensively, Oneonta turned three double plays to help Chartrand maintain control throughout the contest.
The Red Dragons next host Cortland on Friday, April 24, at 3 p.m.
