ITHACA, N.Y. – The baseball team wrapped up its season tied for second place in the Ivy League's Lou Gehrig Division after a pair of losses visiting Princeton on Sunday at Hoy Field. The Tigers won the opener, 5-2 in 10 innings, then held off the Big Red for a 4-1 victory in the teams' season finale.
 
Junior Chris Cruz belted his team-leading fourth home run of the season for the Big Red, but it proved to be the lone highlight of an error-laden nightcap. Sophomore pitcher Brian McAfee turned in a quality start in the opener, but Princeton surged ahead for good on Mike Ford's grand slam in the third extra frame.
 
Cornell finished the season 23-17 overall and 11-9 in the Ivy League.
 
Game 1 — Princeton 5, Cornell 2 (10 innings) — Box Score
Ford strengthened his case of league player of the year honors with a complete game including six consecutive no-hit innings before he delivered the knockout blow in the form of an extra-inning grand slam.
 
The Big Red was able to get to Ford early, though, with sophomores JD Whetsel and Kevin Tatum leading off the bottom of the first with consecutive singles. Whetsel also managed to steal second base before Tatum's knock, putting runners at the corners with no out. Sophomore Matt Hall followed with a towering sacrifice fly to right, allowing Whetsel to score.
 
Princeton answered back in the top of the second. Billy Arendt led off with a single to left, then moved up to second on a groundout. Tyler Servais followed with a base hit to center, with Arendt wheeling around from second to tie the game at 1.
 
Cornell then got runners to second base in the second and third innings, but that was all it could generate against Ford until the Tigers had a 5-1 lead in the 10th. McAfee was also quite effective, allowing just the one run past second base in seven innings of work. He fanned five while scattering seven singles.
 
The Big Red threatened in the bottom half of the 10th. Junior Ben Swinford reached base on a single, then senior Brenton Peters smacked a double to left field putting both runners in scoring position. Swinford came home and Peters moved up to third on a passed ball, then Whetsel drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. The game ended on a lineout to second base.
 
Game 2 — Princeton 4, Cornell 1 — Box Score
Tigers starter Cameron Mingo worked seven scoreless innings to earn his first victory of the season, but the Big Red was able to get on the board with one of Cruz's patented towering home runs to right field in the ninth inning.
 
Both teams struggled defensively, combining on six errors. The Big Red's first two errors complicated the sixth inning, setting the stage for a pair of run-scoring wild pitches to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Alec Keller capped the scoring in the frame with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Nate Baird.