Rival Cortaca Jug coaches to throw first pitch at Yankee Stadium

The head football coaches for rivals SUNY Cortland and Ithaca College will toss the ceremonial opening pitch for a Major League Baseball game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, July 28.

Cortland Red Dragon coach Curt Fitzpatrick and Ithaca Bombers coach Mike Toerper will throw from the mound as part of Cortaca Jug Day festivities at the stadium. The first pitches will precede the New York Yankees hosting the Kansas City Royals at 7:05 p.m.

As part of the Cortaca Jug Day celebration, special discounted ticket packages starting at $45 are available to both Cortland and Ithaca alumni and students. The first 1,000 fans from each school who purchase tickets through this promotion will receive a regular size hot dog, drink and an exclusive New York Yankees hat branded with a Cortland or Ithaca logo.

Members of the SUNY Cortland community may purchase their tickets for the game and reserve their caps online.

“I hope that many members of the SUNY Cortland community can gather together at Cortaca Jug Day and show off their Cortland pride,” SUNY Cortland President Erik J. Bitterbaum said. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students and alumni to enjoy themselves at one of the most iconic venues in sports.”

Cortland and Ithaca College are jointly promoting the highly anticipated 2022 Cortaca Jug football game that will be played at the iconic Bronx stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12. Additional details on the November football game are available on RedDragonNetwork.org.

The July 28 Cortaca Jug Day festivities are part of that promotion. Before the ceremonial pitch, SUNY Cortland fans can gather at a pregame event at Billy’s Sports Bar, hosted by the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association. The event, which will run from 4 to 6 p.m. on July 28 is located at 856 River Ave., adjacent to the stadium.