After winning the first game of a doubleheader by the mercy rule, it is always disappointing to end the day with a split. That's exactly what happened to the Panthers on Tuesday as Tompkins Cortland beat SUNY Broome 12-0 in game one before losing 6-2 in game two. Tompkins Cortland is now 7-9 overall and 3-3 in Region III West Division play. Broome is 2-12 overall and 1-9 in West Division.

Tompkins Cortland 12, Broome 0 (5 innings)

Offense was not an issue in game one for the Panthers as all nine batters in the lineup had at least one hit and scored at least one run. Jinwoo Baek (Osan-si, South Korea/Yatap) and Joseph Tummino (Homer/Homer H.S.) each had two hits with Baek going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored. Six different Panthers had doubles, with Shane Cuevas (Montgomery/Valley H.S.) and Ryan Ballard (Rochester/Greece Athena H.S.) each driving in two runs with their two-base hit.

Ace Ethan Buckley (Bath/Haverling H.S.) posted his second shutout, scattering four hits over the five-inning game. The freshman recorded two strikeouts while picking up his third win of the season.

Broome 6, Tompkins Cortland 2

Game two started well for the Panthers, with Austin Kulas (Moravia/Moravia H.S.) driving in Tummino with two outs in the first inning for an early 1-0 lead. Christian Maloney (Fayetteville/Fayetteville-Manlius H.S.) earned the start on the mound and continued Broome's scoreless streak with three zeros to start the game. The Hornets broke through in the fourth, scoring three times to take a 3-1 lead. Brandon Grant (Homer/Homer H.S.) opened the bottom of the fourth with a single and eventually came around to score on a groundout by Buckley, cutting the Broome lead to 3-2 heading to the fifth inning.

With Hyeon Ho Cho (Asan-si, South Korea/Sekwang) on the mound in relief, Broome took advantage of some sloppy defense by the Panthers to tack on three runs to make the score 6-2 in the middle of the fifth. That score held up as the Panthers couldn't restart the offense for game two. A key stat from game two: the first two Panthers hitters were retired in order in six of the seven innings. The game ended with the Panthers going down 1-2-3 in the seventh, the third time they were set down without anyone reaching base.

Kulas finished game two 2-for-3 with the one RBI and a double for the team's lone extra-base hit. Grant and Tummino each went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Looking ahead

The Panthers and Hornets hook up again Thursday, this time in Binghamton.