(Scott Thomas/Cortland Crush).
Cortland entered Thursday's game against the Sherrill Silversmiths on a four-game winning streak.
The Crush extended it to five, beating Sherrill 7-5 to improve to 15-9-1 on the season.
"After a pretty big win last night, a pretty emotional win it's always too tough to come back and play a good game and win but I think we accomplished that tonight and we never stopped battling, that's the heart of this team," said first baseman Sean O'Malley.
Cortland exploded for four runs to take an early lead in the first inning. After Stephen Bennett and Alex Flock drew lead-off walks, O'Malley ripped a base hit to center field to score both runners and make it 2-0.
Brad Nowak the singled to left field, and an error on the Silversmiths left fielder allowed O'Malley to score, making it 3-0.
Drew Boli made it 4-0 with an RBI single to center that scored Nowak.
Sherrill (7-17-1) eventually was able to tie the game at four in the top of the fourth inning and got to Crush starter Jared Strait. Strait allowed four runs on eight hits while striking out two.
However, the tie was short lived. Boli led off the bottom of the fourth inning by ripping a high-line drive over the left field wall for a solo-home run. Boli's first home run of the season made it 5-4 Crush.
"I'm just trying to use the whole field, trying to get pitches I can use early on in the count," Boli said.
The Crush added another run in the sixth inning when Bennett blasted a two-out triple to right-center field to score Kam Holland and make it 6-4.
Anthony Cieszko added an insurance run in the seventh, singling to right field to score Brendan May.
Cregg Scherrer, who was selected to the NYCBL all-star team as a closer, finished the game on the mound for the Crush in the ninth to secure the win.
"I really like the role (as a closer), I've always kind of had that mentality in me," Scherrer said.
Cortland still sits in second in the NYCBL East division, two points behind the Syracuse Salt Cats.
Cortland has now won 12 of its last 15 games, including five in a row.
'The Crush are hot, that's all I can say to that," Scherrer said.
