SALAMANCA, N.Y. - The Oneonta baseball team scored three runs in the eighth inning to secure a 5-2 win over Fredonia on Friday afternoon to open a three-game series with the Blue Devils. The Red Dragons move to 12-10 overall and 2-2 in the SUNYAC, while the Blue Devils fall to 4-12 and 3-2 in the conference.
After Oneonte went 1-2-3 at the top of the first inning, Fredonia scored two runs in the bottom of the frame. Nick Vitelli led off with a triple to center field before junior Jake Quigley (Harrison, NY/Harrison) struck out Bryce Firkins. Andrew Tucker singled home Vitelli, and then Tucker stole home to take a 2-0 lead.
The following innings moved quickly with Quigley striking out two Blue Devils in the bottom of the third and another in the fourth. The Oneonta bats woke up in the fifth with three hits. Sophomore Ryan Cronin (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) led off with a single to left field, and senior Matt Sandoval (West Islip, NY/West Islip Senior) singled to right field. Cronin scored on a bunt from senior Edem Okpattah (Baltimore, MD/Georgia Premier Academy) to cut the lead to 2-1. The Red Dragons scored their next at bat with Cronin singling home a run from senior Brendan Duffy (Southold, NY/Southold Jr./Sr.) to tie 2-2.
Oneonta held Fredonia scoreless for the remainder of the game and scored three runs in the eighth inning. Duffy scored on an error to take the lead. Sandoval followed up with a two-RBI shot to right field to make it 5-2.
Fredonia went three up, three down in the bottom of the eighth, with relief pitcher Lukas Jachens (Cornwall, NY/Cornwall Central) striking out one batter. The Blue Devils got two on base in the ninth, but a Red Dragons' double play kept any Fredonia players from reaching home.
Duffy went 3-for-5 with two runs. Cronin was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs. Sandoval had two hits and two RBI.
Vitelli went 2-for-4 with one run. Tucker added a hit, a run, and an RBI.
Quigley (4-1) went 6.0 innings with seven hits, two runs, and seven strikeouts. Jachens pitched 3.0 innings with three hits, no runs, and one strikeout.
Morgan Zientara (1-3) pitched 7.0 innings with eight hits, four runs, and six strikeouts.
Oneonta plays Fredonia tomorrow for a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
