NCAA TOURNAMENT: Gulls Force “If Necessary” Game In Cortland Regional Championship

CORTLAND, N.Y. — The No. 16/19 nationally ranked Endicott baseball team forced a winner-take-all game this morning with a 16-3 win over host No. 8/14 SUNY Cortland in game six of the Cortland, N.Y. NCAA Division III Regional Tournament.  

Endicott and Cortland will now play at 12:15 PM with the winner advancing to next weekend's NCAA Division III Super Regional round against either Wheaton College (Mass.) or Baldwin Wallace University at a site to be determined later. 

WP (3-0): Ian Parent (Williston, Vt.) — 9 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
LP (8-3): Anthony Fusco (Yorktown Heights, N.Y.) — 2 1/3 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 0 BB, 1 K 

Endicott exploded for 12 runs on 11 hits in the top of the third inning highlighted by a solo homer to left by Kyle Grabowski (Westfield, Mass.), a three-run shot down the right field line via Joseph Millar (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), and a two-run double down the left field line from Nickolas Perkins (Nashua, N.H.).  

Parent shutdown Cortland's offense with a stellar pitching performance on the bump, which forced the "if necessary" game, and, most importantly, saved the Gulls' pen headed into the winner-take-all contest.

Millar ended his day with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate with two runs and three RBI from the leadoff spot. 

Meanwhile, Grabowski went 4-for-5 with three runs and a career-high five RBI from the eight-hole. 

In total, eight of nine batters for Endicott posted at least one hit and one RBI in the victory.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Gulls scored their second-highest amount of runs in an NCAA Tournament game in program history.
• Endicott improved to 11-4 on the road.

WHAT'S NEXT

No. 16/19 Endicott (39-8) and Cortland (35-11) will now play at 12:15 PM with the winner advancing to next weekend's NCAA Division III Super Regional round against either Wheaton College (Mass.) or Baldwin Wallace University at a site to be determined later. 

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(Photo Credit - Endicott Athletic Communications)