ITHACA, N.Y. — The baseball team couldn't hold on to a late lead in the first game, then fell behind early in the second game in a pair of losses to Penn on Saturday at Hoy Field. The Quakers won the opener, 13-8, then went on to secure a 9-2 victory in the night cap.
 
The Big Red continues its pivotal divisional series against Penn with another doubleheader at noon Sunday back at Hoy Field.
 
Game 1: PENN 13, CORNELL 8 (Box Score)
The Big Red scored runs in each of the first five innings in a truly bizarre game, but the Penn's Mitch Montaldo hit three-run home runs in the sixth and seventh innings to drive in the final six runs of the game.
 
Cornell drew five walks to score two runs in the first inning without the influence of a single hit against Penn ace Connor Cuff. Senior Dan Morris was 3-for-4 with three RBIs and hit what appeared to be a three-run home run in the second inning, but the preceding runner made celebratory contact with him between first and second base. That resulted in Morris being ruled out on the play, giving him a loud two-run single and the Big Red a 4-2 lead.
 
Penn took the lead with five runs in the top of the third as both teams' pitchers struggled to find the strike zone consistently. Three of those Penn runs were unearned, aided by three Cornell errors in the frame.
 
But the Big Red kept chipping away and took the lead back as senior Brian McAfee completed a gutsy start. Sophomore Frankie Padulo's single to right off the glove of diving Penn second baseman Ryan Mincher scored freshman Dale Wickham, then senior Matt Hall scored on Morris' single to cut Cornell's deficit to one run.
 
Penn's lone error on the day helped Cornell tie the game in the fourth. Senior Ryan Karl moved from first to third on a throwing error, then came around to score on Wickham's RBI single. The Big Red then took an 8-7 lead in the fifth after Whetsel singled, stole second, moved up to third on Morris' base hit to center, then scored on senior Kevin Tatum's sacrifice fly.
 
McAfee worked quiet fourth and fifth innings to put himself in line for the victory before Montaldo's late surge for Penn.
 
Game 2: PENN 9, CORNELL 2 (Box Score)
What Penn lacked in a big inning, it made up for by consistently tacking on runs in the early going while starter Mike Reitcheck cruised. The Quakers manufactured two runs apiece in the second, third and fourth innings, then took a 7-0 lead on a steal of home plate in the fifth.
 
Freshman Pierre Le Dorze then put a charge into Hoy Field when he clubbed his first collegiate home run over the tallest portion of the wall in left field. Cornell produced its second run when Whetsel drove a double into the gap in left-center, scoring Le Dorze from first in the eighth inning.
 
Reitcheck earned the victory with eight innings of work. Senior Eric Upton took the loss for Cornell, fanning six over five innings.