With Nick Cottone '19 on the bump, the EC baseball program achieved another milestone on Monday, February 18, as the Soaring Eagles won their season-opening contest for the first time in five years of competition. The 6-foot-5-inch senior tossed 6.0 quality innings against Greensboro in the first game of a twin bill to lead the team to an 8-5 win. He allowed just one run on two hits and four walks, while striking out four and limiting the Pride to a paltry .095 batting average. After surrendering one run in the first inning, he retired seven in a row and held Greensboro scoreless in his last five frames.
The victory was the second of Cottone's collegiate career and his first as a starting pitcher for the Purple and Gold. The Toms River, New Jersey, native also set personal records for the fewest hits (2) and runs (1) allowed in a start.
Cottone and the Elmira baseball team will continue action on the road this weekend, with doubleheaders at Hood in Frederick, Maryland, on Saturday, March 2, and at nationally-ranked Swarthmore in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, on Sunday, March 3. Each series is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.