Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ITHACA, N.Y. -- After needing extra innings in the opener to knock off Penn, the Cornell baseball team waited until down to its final out before rallying for a 6-4 win in the nightcap, finishing off a doubleheader sweep over the Quakers on Sunday afternoon at Hoy Field. The wins move the Big Red to 5-7 in Ivy League play and 8-17 overall, and drop Penn to 1-11 in conference action and 11-19 on the year.

Freshman Brian Billigen had a tremendous day at the plate for the Big Red, going 4-for-8 and scoring for of the Big Red's nine runs on the day. Senior Nathan Ford also had a solid day at the plate, going 3-for-9 with a run, a double, and a home run, driving in five runs on the afternoon. It was Ford's three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth in game two that gave the Big Red a come-from-behind victory over the Quakers in the nightcap.

The two teams needed extra innings to settle the opener, as they ended seven innings tied at two. Cornell's runs came in the first two innings, with Billigen scoring in the first on a wild pitch and Langseth hitting his first home run of the season in the second. Penn knotted the score with single runs in the second and fourth innings, with the run in the fourth being unearned, as the game headed into extra frames.

Cornell reliever David Rochefort, who got the final two outs of the seventh inning and retired the side in order in the eighth, worked into a bit of a jam in the ninth, loading the bases on a single and a pair of walks with one out. Rochefort then got a swinging strikeout of Dan Williams and induced Jeremy Maas into popping up behind home plate to end the Quaker rally. Cornell then took advantage, as Billigen reached on an error to open the inning, as his bloop shot to short right field was dropped by second-baseman William Gordon. Billigen moved to second on the error, then scored when Nathan Ford singled through the left side.

Rochefort took the win in game one, working 2.2 innings and allowing one hit while walking two and striking out three. His work saved a solid outing from Mickey Brodsky, who worked 6.1 innings and allowed six hits with two runs, one of them earned, on six strikeouts. Reid Terry took the loss for the Quakers, allowing one run on two hits in 1.2 innings.

In game two, Penn got on the board first with an RBI single in the first inning, scoring Williams, but Cornell got the run back in the bottom half of the inning. Billigen singled, moved to second on a walk by Hardinger, went to third on a fly out by Ford and scored on Brodsky's single up the middle. The Quakers broke the tie in the second inning when Gordon hit a line-drive home run over the wall in left, scoring a pair, and putting Cornell in a 3-1 hole.

The Big Red got a run back in the fifth as Hardinger walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Ford's double down the left-field line. Penn regained its cushion with a run in the sixth on Derek Vigoa's solo home run to left, making the score 4-2 in favor of the Quakers.

After not being able to mount a significant rally in either the sixth, seventh or eighth innings, the Big Red finally broke through in the ninth. Matt Langseth drew a one-out walk, but was retired when pinch-hitter Jerry Vitiello hit into a fielder's choice for the second out of the inning. Billigen, facing a two-strike count, then hit a towering double to deep right-center, scoring Vitiello from first to cut the gap to 4-3. Hardinger then drew a walk, working the count from 0-2 to full and fouling off several pitches before getting the free pass. Ford then stepped to the plate and roped a 1-0 pitch over the wall in right, capping the Cornell comeback.

Tony Bertucci got the start and went six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk while fanning three. Steve Osterer worked two innings, allowing just one hit with a strikeout to keep Cornell close, while Mike Carroll worked the ninth, allowing one hit for the victory.

Terry again took the loss for the Quakers, this time allowing two runs on one hit and a walk against the only two batters he faced in the ninth. Tom Grandieri started and worked seven innings, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks with one strikeout.

Cornell returns to action on Tuesday, stepping out of league play for a contest at LeMoyne in Syracuse. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.