Conor Bawiec '18 once again illustrated why he's one of the top utility players in the region at the postseason tournament, as the junior batted a combined .300 while firing a strong 8.0 innings in the first round against second-seeded Ithaca College. His performance on the mound nearly led EC to a win over the Bombers, who went on to claim the E8 title after defeating Elmira 4-3. Bawiec scattered eight hits, struck out three batsmen, and limited Ithaca to just two runs. He caught IC's Matt Carey looking at strike three to end the eighth inning, which allowed the Soaring Eagles to carry a 3-2 lead into the ninth.
At the plate, the Lebanon, Pennsylvania, native finished with three hits in 10 at-bats, while extending his on-base streak to a remarkable 28 consecutive games. He came up with one hit in the opening round against the Bombers and finished 2-for-5 with one run scored and one stolen base in Friday's 5-3 loss to the top-seeded Cardinals of St. John Fisher College. Bawiec led off the sixth inning with a single and was subsequently driven home on a
Dylan Bellinger '17 double as part of a two-run frame. His two-out base hit in the bottom of the ninth brought the tying run to the plate, but the Purple and Gold were unable to complete the comeback.
As one of just two Soaring Eagles to start all 35 games this season, Bawiec finished second on the team in batting average (.346) and on-base percentage (.427), and tied Bellinger for the team lead in hits (45) and runs (26). He was also Elmira's most reliable starting pitcher, with a 4-2 record, including three complete games and team-high 49 strikeouts, a mark that ranked sixth in the Empire 8.
