ITHACA, N.Y. — Senior Matt Hall provided the heroics in the baseball team in its final game of the season, driving in the tying and winning runs in the Big Red's 4-3 victory over Canisius in the final game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Hoy Field. Canisius won the first game, 6-1.
 
Cornell concludes its season 13-27 overall after it finished 9-11 in Ivy League play and took third place in the Lou Gehrig Division.
 
Game 1: CANISIUS 6, CORNELL 1 (Box Score)
The Big Red mustered just two hits against a pair of Golden Griffins pitchers. The lone run from the home side came in the fifth inning, after sophomore Frankie Padulo pulled a double down the left-field line with one out. He moved to third on a groundout, then scored when a wild pitch bounced low and outside with Hall at bat.
 
But Canisius (21-25) already had a comfortable lead by that point, started with a three-run second inning which featured three infield hits. The first two set the table for Zach Garick's two-run double to the wall in left. The third run was unearned after a throwing error.
 
Sophomore Tommy Wagner had the Big Red's other hit, adding his fourth stolen base of the season. It marked the ninth consecutive game in which Wagner reached base.
 
Senior Nick Busto took the loss, working six innings while striking out three and picking off two Canisius baserunners.
 
Game 2: CORNELL 4, CANISIUS 3 (Box Score)
The Big Red entered the bottom of the seventh inning trailing by one. Senior Ryan Karl was hit by a pitch, then freshman Eason Recto came on to pinch run. After Canisius summoned closer Iannick Remillard from the bullpen, freshman Dale Wickham hit a hard groundball at the Golden Griffins' first baseman that could have resulted in a game-ending double play. But the ball wasn't fielded cleanly, allowing Wickham to reach and Recto to advance all the way to third.
 
Hall followed by smashing a ball to the wall in right-center, which led to Recto trotting home and Wickham wheeling all the way around to comfortably score the winning run.
 
Junior Michael Byrne earned the victory with two scoreless innings of relief on the heels of a solid five-inning start from sophomore Paul Balestrieri. Working on four days' rest after defeating Princeton on Friday, Balestrieri struck out four while surrendering three runs (two earned). He settled in nicely after Canisius' Connor Panas jumped on the first pitch of the game and launched a ball that rode the wind to left-center for a home run.
 
Cornell answered right back. Moved up to the No. 2 position in the batting order, Padulo hit a triple to left-center. He came in to score on senior Spencer Scorza's double to the other gap, tying the game. The Big Red then took the lead in the second after Karl was hit by a pitch, then Wickham yanked a single off the first baseman. Hall's butcher-boy groundout essentially mimicked a bunt, advancing the runners to scoring position with one out, then junior Jordan Winawer drove in Karl with another groundout to the right side of the infield.