Box Score (Cornell vs. Rider)
Box Score (Cornell at Virginia)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Frank Hager went 3-for-5 on the day as the Cornell baseball team opened the 2011 season with a pair of defeats on Friday in Charlottesville, Va. Cornell dropped its season opener, 6-0, against Rider, before falling to No. 8 Virginia, 12-1, in the second game of the day.

Junior Brian Billigen went 2-for-7 on the day with a triple and the only run scored of the afternoon for the Big Red, while freshman Ben Swinford also went 2-for-7 in the two contests.

In the opener against Rider, Cornell could only muster five hits, while Corey Pappel and Houston Hawley combined to allow just eight hits and six runs on the day. Pappel got the start and took the loss, allowing four runs in five innings, striking out seven and walking four. Hawley worked three innings of two-run relief, fanning a pair. 

Cornell put a pair of runners on base in four of the nine innings, including twice with men on second and third with two out, but could not push across a run. Five different players picked up a base hit in the contest.

In the second game, Cornell needed just two batters to score its first run as Billigen led off the game with a triple. A walk to Brenton Peters followed, and a balk pushed Billigen in and Peters to third, but Peters was caught trying to steal third, Mickey Brodsky struck out and Brandon Lee lined out to end the early threat.

Virginia responded with four runs in the bottom of the first off Cornell starter Taylor Wood, who went 5.2 innings and allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts. Chris Cruz worked an inning and a third of relief, allowing three runs on three hits, while Joe Sinopoli worked a scoreless eighth to finish out the contest.

Hager went 2-for-3 in the game against the Cavaliers, collecting two of the seven Cornell hits on the day. 

Cornell returns to action on Saturday with another pair of games against the same two foes. Cornell will face Virginia in a 2 p.m. contest before taking on Rider at 5 p.m.