ITHACA, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Cornell Big Red used an 11-hit offensive attack and a crucial mid-game relief appearance to defeat the Yale Bulldogs 5-3 in the opener of a three-game Ivy League series on Friday evening.

Yale (20-11) struck quickly against Cornell starter John Hegarty, plating three runs in the first inning. Aiden Dossa led off with a double and later scored on Chris DiPrima’s sacrifice fly. The Bulldogs added two more in the third without a hit, capitalizing on walks, a hit-by-pitch and another sacrifice fly, this time from Jack Dauer, to take a 3-0 lead.

Cornell (7-21) responded immediately in the bottom of the first, cutting into the deficit against Yale starter Daniel Cohen. Mason Barela doubled and scored, along with Caden Wildman, on a two-run single down the left-field line by TJ Swidorski.

The most important part of the game came in the middle innings, as Cornell’s bullpen stifled the Yale offense and its lineup seized control. After Trent Lopez tied the game with a solo home run to right field in the fourth inning, reliever Ross Yoshida entered for Cornell and ended a Yale threat. Yoshida then worked a scoreless fifth, aided by his catcher Barela, who caught Jack Hays stealing after a walk that resulted from a pitch-clock violation against Yoshida.

The Big Red took the lead for good in the fifth. John L. singled, advanced on a groundout and scored on a sharp RBI single up the middle from Wildman to make it 4-3. Yale reliever Ben Winslow entered and stranded two runners to limit the damage.

Cornell added a critical insurance run in the seventh. John L. singled again, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice by Wildman, his second RBI of the game.

Yoshida earned the win with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, allowing no hits and striking out one. Yale managed only three hits total, all from the top of its order, with Dossa collecting two. Brett Faccio pitched a scoreless eighth for Yale. Cohen took the loss for the Bulldogs.

The Big Red turned two double plays defensively, while Yale pitchers stranded nine Cornell runners. The teams will continue the series with a doubleheader on Saturday.