Score: Saint Mary's University 12, Elmira College 6
Score: Concordia College 11. Elmira College 4
Records: Saint Mary's (3-1), Concordia (3-2), Elmira (0-3)
Location: Auburndale, FL - Lake Myrtle Park

Auburndale, FL -- The Elmira College baseball team dropped both games of Thursday's doubleheader against Saint Mary's (MN) University and Concordia (MN) College at Lake Myrtle Park.

The Cardinals of Saint Mary's defeated the Soaring Eagles 12-6 in the regularly-scheduled morning contest, while the Cobbers of Concordia beat the Purple and Gold 11-4 in the afternoon makeup of yesterday's rainout.

Game 1 starter Dennis Rudolph '18 was taxed for eight runs, seven earned, on eight hits and four walks in three innings of work. The second-year right-hander fanned five batters, the most by any Elmira pitcher through the first three games of the season.

The EC offense came alive in the fourth and fifth innings. Brian Wehmeyer '16 doubled and scored on a wild pitch. In the next at-bat, Bryce Plante '18 drove in Jack Thistle '18 with a single to make it an 8-2 Saint Mary's lead. In the top of the fifth, Cardinals reliever R. J. Brown walked the bases loaded before surrendering a two-run base knock to Thistle. Rey Colon '18 added an RBI ground out to bring EC within four runs at 9-5. Colon then plated Thistle in the top of the seventh with a single up the middle for Elmira's sixth run, while Saint Mary's tacked on two more runs in the sixth and one in the eighth.

The Soaring Eagles struck first to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning in the nightcap against Concordia. Hayden Rothenberg '18 led off with a walk, reached second on a sacrifice bunt, and advanced to third on a Concordia error, before scoring on a Dylan Bellinger '17 RBI ground out.

Bawiec's start on the mound was the best of any EC pitcher so far this season. The reigning Empire 8 All-Conference Honorable Mention selection did not issue a walk in 6.1 innings of work, allowing five runs, three earned. The bullpen, however, surrendered six runs in the remaining 2.2 innings, as the Cobbers exploded for seven runs in the final three frames.

Cameron Heggie '18 provided a big a pinch-hit base knock in his only plate appearance of the day, driving in a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Inside the Box

• Plante finished the two games 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of walks, one run scored, and one RBI.
• Thistle led EC against Saint Mary's, as he finished 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs.
• Heggie and Colon each drove in a pair of runs.
• Rudolph took the loss in Game 1, giving up eight runs on five hits and four walks.
• Rudolph also fanned five batters.
• Bawiec was the losing pitcher in Game 2. He allowed five runs, three earned, on 11 hits.
• Bawiec struck out one batter without giving up a free pass.
• Davis Salzman '18 appeared out of the bullpen in both games, giving up one earned run in 1.2 innings, including two-thirds hitless innings against Saint Mary's.

News and Notes

• Thistle's three hits versus Saint Mary's tied his single-game career high.
• Bawiec's 6.1 innings represent the second-longest outing of his career.
• Bawiec also extended his hit streak to six consecutive games dating back to last season.
• Rudolph's five strikeouts tied his single-game career high.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles are off until Saturday, March 12th, when EC visits Eastern University for a doubleheader. First pitch for Game 1 against the Eagles is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.