Spartans, Cougars Set for Deciding Game 3

Cayuga Community College Baseball and Genesee Community College split the first two games of their opening round postseason series Saturday, setting up a deciding third contest on Sunday.

The Spartans' bats and relief pitching took over late in the first game, giving Cayuga a 14-6 win. In the nightcap, though, the Cougars responded by holding the Spartans to five hits in a 9-0 final to even the series.

In the opening game, Cayuga took a brief lead with five runs in the first inning, with Juan Perez driving in two with a single. The Cougars tallied five in the top of the second, though, and took a 6-5 lead in the fourth.

Cayuga responded in the bottom half of the fourth, tying the game on Bradley Soto-Diaz's RBI single. Perry Chetney then launched a towering three-run homer to left field, putting the Spartans in front 9-6. Cayuga added three in the sixth and two more in the seventh.

Perez, Soto-Diaz and Kevin Dolan had two hits, with Dolan and Soto-Diaz each scoring four times and Perez finishing with two RBI. Chetney had four RBI and scored twice, and Brandon Hoftijzer had two RBI. Brantley Griggs earned the win, throwing 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

In the second game, the Cougars did most of their damage in the third inning, scoring seven runs to take control of the contest. Cayuga threatened in the fourth, loading the bases with no out, but failed to score. Perez, Chetney, Soto-Diaz, Alex Gaudet and Jacob Laird each had hits for Cayuga in the loss. Sunday's contest is scheduled for noon at Falcon Park.

The winner will advance to the Region III Tournament, scheduled for May 16-18, also at Falcon Park.