It's been a season without many wins on the scoreboard for the Panthers baseball team, but that doesn't mean it's been a season without positives. Playing doubleheaders on consecutive days against a very deep Finger Lakes Community College team, the Panthers bounced back from a pair of blowout losses on Saturday and, while still getting swept, put forth a much more respectable result on Sunday. The 11-1 and 10-3 losses leave Tompkins Cortland with an overall record of 4-22 overall and Region 3 West Division record of 2-18. Finger Lakes is 32-18 overall and 19-9 in West Division.

Game One: Finger Lakes 11, Tompkins Cortland 1  (5 innings)

The Panthers got on the board first. In the top of the second inning, Jordan Shortsleeve (Cortland/Cortland H.S.) reached on an infield single and moved all the way around to third on a throwing error. He came in to score one batter later on a single by Nate Macek (Pittsford/Rush Henrietta H.S.). Starting pitcher Brenden Ryder (Roscoe/Roscoe H.S.) made the lead stand until the third inning when Finger Lakes pushed two across. The team ran out of gas in the fourth as the Lakers scored eight to put the game out of reach. A homer in the bottom of the fifth ended the game by the run rule.

Ryder took the loss on the mound. Shane Smith (Groton/Groton H.S.) and Isaiah Daniels (Atlanta, Ga./Hampton H.S.) joined Shortsleeve and Macek with hits.

Game Two: Finger Lakes 10, Tompkins Cortland 3 

The Panthers led in the second game as well, scoring in the top of the first inning. The Lakers answered with four in the bottom of the first and then added to the lead with three in the third. The Panthers stiffened on defense after that, allowing just single runs in the next three innings. The offense never gave up, scoring in the fifth and seventh. They also threatened in several innings, leaving runners in scoring position in four of the seven innings.

Jacob Bogacz (Morrisville/Morrisville-Eaton H.S.) pitched the complete game for the Panthers. Gabriel Fonseca (Miami, Fla./Mater Lakes Academy) and Dan Caverly (Farmington/victor H.S.) each went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the nine-hit attack.

Looking ahead

The Panthers host Onondaga for a doubleheader on Tuesday.