For the second straight outing, the Panthers came up just short on a chance to split a doubleheader with Finger Lakes Community College. With the two losses TC3 is now 2-27 overall and 1-16 in the Mid-State Athletic Conference. Finger Lakes improves 23-13 overall and 11-3 in the MSAC.

Game One: Finger Lakes 6, Tompkins Cortland 5

Finger Lakes scored five runs in a rough third inning and then added another in the fourth to lead 6-0. TC3 finally got some things going in the sixth, with Dominic Zona hitting a double to start a rally that included two-out RBIs from Keelan Marren and Evan Shank. With the score 6-2 heading into the seventh, the Panthers were down to their last out when the first two hitters in the seventh got out. Tim Leary was the first to reach when he was hit by a pitch, and Aiden Huften followed with a walk. Zona drove in the first run of the inning with a single and Easton Podbeusek made it 6-4 with a single to drive in another. A wild pitch allowed Zona to score and moved Podbeusek to second, but the rally ended with a strikeout with the tying run in scoring position.

Zona had the biggest game at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Toki Ueeda and Liam Gordon were highly effective out of the bullpen, combining to allow just one hit and one run over the final 4.2 innings of the game.

Game Two: Finger Lakes 8, Tompkins Cortland 1

Finger Lakes again started strong, plating three in the first and adding on with runs in the third and fourth to lead 6-0 heading into the sixth inning. Unlike in the first game, the Lakers added on with two more in the sixth, pushing the game out of reach. The Panthers managed one run in the sixth, but there was no last inning rally in the nightcap, making the final 8-1.

Looking ahead

The Panthers play at SUNY Broome on Thursday.