Nate Hanner '18 helped the Soaring Eagles sweep Utica College in EC's home- and conference-opening games on a cold and wet Saturday at historic Dunn Field. Elmira, which was a month removed from its most recent contest due to unfavorable winter weather, exploded for a combined 28 hits in the twin bill to down the Pioneers 10-4 in the matinee and walk-off, 6-5, in the nightcap.
The junior third baseman finished the two-game set with a .444 batting average, going 4-for-9 with two doubles. His four hits were tied for the team lead, while his two extra-base hits and 5 RBIs were both team highs. Hanner tied career highs with three hits and a trio of RBIs in the first game, before doubling and plating two key runs in the afternoon bout.
In his first at-bat of the early game, Hanner drove in a pair of Soaring Eagles with a two-out hit on a 1-2 pitch, at the time extending Elmira's lead to 7-1. Then in the sixth, he doubled home another run on the first pitch. In the second game, the Genoa City, Wisconsin, native followed upÂ
Conor Bawiec '18 to put Elmira ahead, 3-1, with back-to-back two-out two-baggers. In the ninth, Hanner earned the game-tying RBI with a grounder up the middle, setting upÂ
Dennis Rudolph '18 for the walk-off in the following at-bat.
Through the first six games of the 2017 season, Hanner is hitting at a .333 clip (8-for-24) with a team-leading three doubles and 7 RBIs. He'll look to guide to guide the Soaring Eagles to victory again on Tuesday, March 28, when EC heads to Wells College for a non-conference doubleheader at 3:00 p.m.
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