CORTLAND, N.Y. – SUNY Geneseo first-year Danni Napoli had three hits on the day, including a home run in game one, but the Knights opened their SUNYAC schedule with a pair of losses at Cortland, 5-1, 5-4. The Red Dragons, who came into the game ranked No. 28 nationally, improved their record to 13-3, 2-0 SUNYAC, while Geneseo dropped its fifth-straight game and fell to 5-9 and 0-2 in the conference.

Game 1: Cortland 5, Geneseo 1
The defending SUNYAC champion Red Dragons scored three in the third and two in the fourth to take charge of the game and erase an early Geneseo lead. Napoli and senior Cat Krok each had two hits, with the first-year outfielder providing the only tally with a solo home run. Junior Alexis Kidder pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only two hits while striking out three.

The Knights grabbed the 1-0 advantage in the second inning when Napoli hit a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left-center field. It was her team-leading second home run of the season and second in two games. Two outs later junior Abby Dennett doubled to left, but was left stranded.

The host Red Dragons got on the board in the third inning, using four hits to score three runs. They added to the lead in their next at-bat, combining three hits with a Geneseo error to plate two more runs and build a 5-1 lead.

The Knights put another runner in scoring position in the sixth when Krok had a two-out double to left, but couldn't advance her.

Senior Mikayla Moore (3-3) started on the mound, allowing eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. She was charged with five runs, four earned, while walking two and striking out one. First-year Alyssa Persich went hitless at the plate, snapping her hitting streak at 12 games.

Game 2: Cortland 5, Geneseo 4
Geneseo built a 4-0 lead but the Red Dragons tied the game with four in the bottom of the sixth and scored the game-winner in their last at-bat. It was the third game in the last four that the Knights lost in the bottom of the seventh and Geneseo's fourth one-run loss of the season.

The Knights started quickly and pushed across three runs in the top of the first. Persich and Napoli opened the frame with back-to-back singles, both scoring one out later after a Cortland throwing error on an infield grounder. Later in the inning, with sophomore Emily Martin on board after a base hit, senior Jenna Phillips had a two-out RBI single to give the Knights a 3-0 lead.

First-year Taylor Moore and Persich had hits in the second inning, but Cortland escaped any damage by turning an inning-ending double play.

The Knights added a tally in the fifth to pad the lead to 4-0. First-year Anna Merante singled up the middle and one out later, stole second. She scored on a two-out single to center field by sophomore Claire VanNewkirk.

Starting pitcher T. Moore allowed Cortland base runners in four of the first five innings but kept the Red Dragons off the board until the sixth, when the home side put together four consecutive base hits to knot the game at four, with the key blow a three-run home run. Kidder came in and recorded the final two outs to keep the game tied.

After the Knights went down in order in their half of the seventh, the Cortland lead-off batter singled with two strikes and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Kidder (0-1) struck out the next hitter for the second out, but a Red Dragon hit to right field scored the deciding run in a close play at the plate.

Moore went 5 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, all earned, on eight hits, with one walk and no strikeouts. Kidder went 1 1/3 and gave up run on two hits, with one strikeout.

Geneseo will face Oswego on Saturday, April 2 for a pair of SUNYAC games starting at 12 p.m.