Nearly halfway through the season, the Red Dragons currently stand at 11-7. They will look to improve their record this week throughout this five game home stretch.
Attending home games not only provides a fun and exciting experience for students but also significantly helps the team. The support from the fans can be a great motivator for the players, especially during crucial moments of the game.
The energy and enthusiasm from the crowd can help lift the team and make them feel more confident. By showing up and cheering them on, students can help create a home-field advantage for the Red Dragons, which can ultimately lead to a better performance on the field. Additionally, attending home games is an excellent way for students to show their school spirit and pride, contributing to this school’s culture.
Relief pitcher Liam Krasney talked about the energy that fans provided at the field last weekend.
“It’s exciting to play in front of a crowd like the one we had, it was full of excitement,” said Krasney. “Which then gave us that same energy and excitement we need to win.”
As the regular season progresses, the Cortland baseball team is looking to improve their performance after a rocky start. With conference play coming up, the Red Dragons will be playing some important home games that could help improve their record.
This article previews the next three upcoming home games for Cortland baseball and why you should be in attendance.
March 29th: Cortland vs Clarkson
After sweeping Oneonta in a three-game series last weekend, the Red Dragons are confident rolling into this matchup against Clarkson. Outfielder Mat Bruno was a key player this past weekend, securing nine hits and contributing five runs to Cortland’s victories. Bruno, a graduate student, emphasized the significance of these upcoming matchups following the team’s shaky start to the season.
“The beginning of the season did not go the way we wanted, but this weekend truly showed what we are capable of doing as a team.” Said Bruno, “It’s extremely important that we keep the positive energy flowing into Clarkson and New Paltz this upcoming weekend.”
Clarkson has struggled early in the season, losing seven straight games to open the year. They currently stand at 4-8 after recently sweeping Hobart College this past weekend in a three game series. Prior to the series, Clarkson suffered a narrow defeat of 8-9 at home against Oneonta.
Over the past five years, Cortland has beaten Clarkson in all three of their matchups. Their most recent game took place in March 2021 at Wallace field, where the Red Dragons dominated in a 6-1 win.
Cortland will aim to secure an early lead, as Clarkson has displayed a tendency to amass most of their runs within the first three innings, having scored 15 runs in the opening inning and 16 runs in the third inning so far this season.
March 31-April 1st: Cortland vs New Paltz
The Red Dragons will begin a three-game series against New Paltz on Friday, with a doubleheader scheduled for Saturday. Last year, Cortland faced off against the Hawks in a three-game series and managed to secure a win at New Paltz, as well as a victory at Oneonta’s baseball field because of weather conditions. In that series, Cortland outscored New Paltz by a margin of 38-13.
Krasney, who is a junior, will likely be available for the Red Dragons this weekend after a strong performance last Sunday against Oneonta. He was called into the game in the fifth inning and recorded three strikeouts in three innings, giving up zero hits, earning his first save of the season.
Krasney spoke about how the team has worked hard to build off these wins.
“We’re slowly coming together and building some momentum as a team,” said Kransey. “If we come with the same energy and good play this weekend we will get the same result.”
To succeed against New Paltz, Cortland will need to have a game plan for freshman Christopher Sais, who has been held hitless in only two games this season. With a batting average of .342, Sais is the most consistent hitter New Paltz has so far.
April 5th: Cortland vs Rochester
Rochester will play a single game against St. John Fisher on Wednesday and then a three game series against Hobart college this weekend before traveling to Cortland. Rochester has had a decent start to their season, with an 8-7 record through the first few weeks.
Cortland has beaten Rochester in four of their last six matches against each other . Last season, the Red Dragons snapped a 14-game winning streak for Rochester when they met. In that game, Cortland scored all 17 runs in the first five innings, giving Rochester no chance to comeback.
Sophomore Dylan Mackenzie hit 2-3 on Sunday against Oswego and is looking to carry that success into the next week. Mackenzie had this to say about their matchup against Rochester next week.
“Rochester is a good team,” said Mackenzie. “So we are preparing to attack them with that same level of respect.”
If the Red Dragons hope to stop Rochester, it starts with having a plan for junior infielder Jackson Reed, who has recorded five multiple hit performances so far this season. Reed contributed five runs and four runs last weekend in their three game series against Ithaca.
With conference play on the horizon, these upcoming home games will be crucial for the Cortland baseball team to turn their season around. By getting ahead early, having a solid game plan, and gaining enough support from the fans at home the Red Dragons can come out on top and build some momentum heading into the rest of the season.