The Cornwall Dragons improved to 4-0 with a dominant 17-3 victory over the Port Jervis Red Raiders (2-3) on Monday, ending the game after five innings via the mercy rule.

A relentless offensive attack led by sophomore Sage Caesar and senior Aaden Hershberger, combined with a strong pitching performance from junior Billy Sidoti, powered Cornwall to the lopsided win.

Hershberger set the tone in the first inning, reaching second base on a bunt after an errant throw by Port Jervis sophomore pitcher Rudy Schouten. He scored on a base hit from Colin Steiner. Cornwall continued to capitalize on the base paths, with Steiner stealing third and scoring on a wild pitch, giving the Dragons a 2-0 lead. Senior Danny Twomey then reached first on a ground ball.

A lack of communication plagued Port Jervis throughout the afternoon. With Mason Lont on base after a walk, Twomey’s stolen base attempt drew the Red Raiders’ attention away from Lont, who alertly broke for home and scored undetected to make it 3-0.

Cornwall extended the lead in the second inning when Hunter Salisbury reached on a line drive to center field and scored on a Hershberger triple into the left-center gap. Hershberger then came home on another errant throw, pushing the lead to 5-0.

“It just gets the team going and it keeps everyone’s confidence up,” Hershberger said of the energy in the dugout. “That’s huge. It keeps everyone free and just boosts the team’s confidence for the whole game.”

The third inning proved decisive. Lont scored on a Steiner ground ball, and another poor throw allowed Steiner to score as well. Salisbury added another run, and by the end of the inning Cornwall led 15-0, with Caesar and Steiner each driving in two runs. Additional runs came via stolen bases and a balk call against the Port Jervis pitcher.

Sidoti was sharp on the mound throughout, collecting multiple strikeouts. “This is my first outing of the season, and I was trying to throw strikes and I had fun,” he said. “We had a lot of energy today — we always do. We are an energetic team.”

Port Jervis avoided the shutout with a center field hit that scored three runs, bringing the final score to 17-3.

Caesar, who turned an early double play, credited the team’s energy and confidence for their four-game winning streak. “It felt great to get two outs early and play free for the rest of the game,” he said. “Our energy carries us through most of these games leading to our wins.”

Head coach Thomas Fanning praised the team’s aggressive base running as the key to the win.

“They controlled the game with their base running,” Fanning said. “They kind of messed up the pitcher’s rhythm and got him out of his game. And then we matched that up with some hits and did a really good job of it.”

Fanning also highlighted Caesar’s continued development. “Sage Caesar has been having a good year. He’s been consistent and aggressive at the plate,” he said. “He used to switch hit. Now he’s only hitting right-handed and he’s able to hit with a little more power. He’s improved a lot defensively as well, so all aspects of his game are up a level — and he’s only a sophomore.”

Cornwall was looking to extend its winning streak Tuesday against the Monticello Panthers (1-2).