The top-seeded Cortland Red Dragons (40-3) defeated the fourth-seeded Montclair State Red Hawks (27-19) 9-2 in Thursday’s third game of the NCAA Division III baseball regional tournament hosted by Ithaca College at Auburn’s Falcon Park. Cortland advances to play either third-seeded Rensselaer or seventh-seeded Ohio Wesleyan Friday at 4:30 p.m. The Red Hawks will take on second-seeded Ithaca at 10 a.m. in an elimination game.

Matt Tone fanned 10 and allowed two runs in seven innings of five-hit pitching and the Red Dragons – who won their 36th straight game – jumped on the Red Hawks early, scoring six runs in the first two innings.

Back-to-back home runs by senior Mike Zaccardo and senior shortstop Matt Vitalone followed the first of two sacrifice flies by junior Mike Avery in Cortland’s four-run second. The Red Dragons picked up a pair of runs in their first at bat on a two-run single by senior first baseman Nick DeVito.

Sophomore second baseman Andrew Himmelfarb hit an RBI single in the seventh and freshman catcher Mike Ercolano doubled in a run in the eighth to put Montclair State on the board.

Junior center fielder Khyle Dimino stole two bases and had four hits to spark Cortland’s offense. Himmelfarb had two of Montclair State’s six hits.

To watch highlights, click the video icon.