Spartans, Lakers Split First 2 Playoff Games

Cayuga Community College Baseball will have a make-or-break deciding game against Finger Lakes Community College after the teams split the first two games of a best-of-three playoff series Saturday.

The Spartans took the first game 7-3 behind a strong start from Will Coleman, but couldn't hold an early lead in the second contest, losing 7-5. The teams play again Sunday at Falcon Park, with the winner moving on to the Region III tournament starting Thursday at Herkimer College.

After a scoreless first three innings of the first game, Cayuga broke through in the fourth when Fernando Espinal's infield single scored Alex Wurster and a sacrifice fly by Phil Messina plated Anthony Driscoll-Sadusky. The Lakers quickly tied it in the fifth, but Cayuga scored two more the same inning on a single by Tyler Korsky.

The Spartans struck again in the sixth, with a double by Zach Mock scoring Espinal and later Messina scoring on a sacrifice fly by Caleb Delly. Messina drove-in Korsky with a single in the seventh for Cayuga's final run.

Coleman scattered five hits over seven innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out five. Hazel Martinez and Espinal each went two-for-five with a run, and Messina was two-for-three with two RBI and a run scored.

The Spartans took a 2-0 first inning lead in the second game after loading the bases with no outs, but struggled to score for much of the contest. The Lakers chipped away and took the lead in the sixth, building a 7-2 lead by the final frame.

Cayuga rallied in the ninth, with pinch hitter Logan Sheasgreen bashing a two-out double to score Michael Norton and Tyler Ziemak, and Wurster singling in Sheasgreen to cut the Lakers' lead to 7-5. The Spartans were unable to pull closer, though, setting up a deciding third game.

Driscoll-Sadusky finished three-for-five with a double and a run scored, and Wurster and Norton each had two hits, a run and an RBI in the second game.

Sunday's game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Falcon Park.