ITHACA, N.Y. – Frank Hager was 3-for-4 and Chris Burke hit a two-run single, but the baseball was swept in a doubleheader by visiting Siena on Tuesday, 6-2 and 5-4. The Saints pulled ahead in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively, in the seven-inning tilts at Hoy Field.
 
Kevin Tatum had the Big Red's lone hit in the opener, then he led off the fifth inning of the nightcap with a single. He later scored on a Chris Cruz single, then Marshall Yanzick was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in another run and tie the score. But three straight one-out singles by Siena (13-24) in the sixth set up an RBI walk to plate the winner
 
It's only the second time this season that the Big Red has lost a series, with two losses March 20-21 at Virginia Tech the other.
 
Game 1 – Siena 6, Cornell 2 – Box Score
The Saints jumped ahead with two in the first, but the Big Red tied up the game by the third on a pair of Brenton Peters runs – even though Cornell still hadn't mustered a hit. Peters led off with a walk in the first, then moved to second when Hager was hit by a pitch with one out. A balk moved both runners into scoring position, then Cruz's RBI groundout to second plated Peters.
 
In the third inning, Peters once again led off with a walk. Yanzick's sacrifice bunt advanced Peters to send, then the leadoff man took third on a wild pitch. Hager's grounder to shortstop created the side's second out, but also allowed Peters to score and tie the game at 2.
 
Siena jumped back on top for good in the fifth on an unearned run, when a failed pickoff throw bounced by first base and allowed a runner for third to come plateward. Cornell then broke up the no-hit bid with two out in the sixth on Tatum's single to right, but the runner was immediately erased when pinch-runner Spenser Souza was caught stealing to end the inning.
 
The Saints then scored three in the top of the seventh to put the game away. It was the first time this season the Big Red was held to less than four hits in a game.
 
Game 2 – Siena 5, Cornell 4 – Box Score
Making his first collegiate start, senior Jeeter Ishida worked around leadoff walks in the first and second innings by inducing double plays to erase the runners. Senior Forrest Crawford, making his first start and third appearance of the season, started both of them from his post at second base. The first came when he snared a line drive, then doubled off the runner at first, then the second came on a more traditional groundball double play with shortstop Yanzick making the turn from second.
 
The Big Red broke through in the second. With the bases loaded, Burke hit a two-run single up the middle to bring home Cruz and Ryan Plantier to give the hosts their first lead of the day.
 
The Saints pulled ahead, 5-4, in the top of sixth with the bases still loaded and one out. Freshman Roberto Suppa came on from the bullpen and induced the fourth Cornell double play of the game, getting a groundball that was turned from Yanzick to Crawford to Hager to end the threat.
 
Cornell (24-10-1) came roaring back in the sixth. Burke led off with a single, then moved to second on a Souza sac bunt. Tatum was hit by a pitch, then Hager singled through the left side to load the bases with one out. Only that's as far as the rally would get, as Siena reliever Jim Meindl struck out the next batter and retired the side with a groundball back up the box that he snagged and tossed to first for the force.
 
Ishida worked three scoreless innings for a no-decision, surrendering one hit and two walks with one strikeout. The Big Red returns to Ivy League Gehrig Division play this weekend with doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday at Penn.