Score: Elmira College 31 – University of Valley Forge 2
Records: Elmira (1-5), Valley Forge (0-9)
Location: Valley Forge Baseball Field – Phoenixville, PA
 
Phoenixville, PA -- The Elmira College baseball team had the bats break out in a big way on Sunday afternoon in the final day of its weekend swing through Pennsylvania. The Soaring Eagles absolutely obliterated their previous program record for runs scored in a nine-inning game, demolishing the University of Valley Forge 31-2. The win is Elmira's first of the 2016 campaign.
 
While a pair of slow starts haunted EC in yesterday's doubleheader against Eastern University, the Purple and Gold wasted little time in jumping all over an outmatched Valley Forge outfit this afternoon. Elmira plated six runs in each of the first two innings to build up a big 12-0 lead through two frames. The Soaring Eagles were not hesitant to add on: tacking on one run in the fourth, seven in the fifth, three more in the sixth, another six-run mark in the seventh, and two more runs in the eighth inning.
 
Brian Wehmeyer '16 and Bryce Plante '18 delivered the first two big blows in the opening frame. Wehmeyer lashed a two-out RBI single, while Plante followed with a bases-clearing two RBI double to put EC up 3-0 six batters into the contest. Elmira starting pitcher Dennis Rudolph '18 helped his cause three batters later, lacing a bases-loaded double, which plated three more runs.
 
The Soaring Eagles took advantage of some defensive lapses by the Patriots to push across six more runs in the second inning. Valley Forge committed three errors in the frame and EC did not let the home side off the hook. Plante, Rudolph and Cameron Heggie '18 each rapped RBI singles in the inning.
 
With a firm command of the game, Elmira head coach Corey Paluga turned to his bench early in the contest. Despite some guys seeing their first extensive action of the early season, it did not slow down Elmira's offense whatsoever. Elmira's biggest inning came in a seven-run fifth.
 
Will Jenkins '18 got the inning started with an RBI double, while a pair of pinch hitters finished off the damage in the inning. Harrison Zambarano '19 and Mike Ladka '16 delivered big blows in the frame. The EC rookie laced a two-out double into the gap to plate two, while Ladka followed with another two-bagger to chase Zambarano home.
 
The bottom half of the frame witnessed Rudolph finish his afternoon on the mound with a one-two-three inning. He fanned the final two batters he faced, completing five innings of scoreless work, while finishing with six strikeouts.
 
Elmira's final big inning of the afternoon came in the seventh. The Patriots turned to their bullpen at the beginning of the inning, but it did little to staunch the Elmira offensive charge. Matt van Muelken '18 got things started with a leadoff double. Jenkins followed with a walk. After a fly out by Josh Haines '18, Elmira strung four consecutive hits to chase Valley Forge reliever Jonathan Canoy after just one-third of an inning. Heggie and Zambarano both had RBI base knocks, while Ladka continued his big day with a two-RBI double. Nick Sampogna '18 added an RBI single after another pitching change to make the score 28-0.
 
The EC bullpen put together four solid innings of work to put away the contest. Davis Salzman '18 fired a one-two-three sixth inning, while Nick Cottone '19 was solid in allowing one hit and striking out one in the seventh. Blake Phelps '19 put the game to bed, scattering two hits and fanning one in a scoreless ninth inning of work.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira pushed across 31 runs in the contest, while it allowed just two.
• EC outhit Valley Forge 26-to-7 for the game.
• Elmira plated at least one run in seven of the nine innings; it scored six-or-more in four of those frames.
• Valley Forge committed 10 errors on the afternoon, while EC turned in a spotless outing in the field.
• Heggie was all over the bases, finishing 5-for-8, all on singles. He scored three runs and knocked in two RBIs.
• Zambarano had an excellent game off the bench, finishing 2-for-4 with a double, scoring two runs and driving in three more.
• Ladka had a huge day with the bat, driving a pair of doubles and collecting five RBIs.
• Rudolph was EC's best hitter on the afternoon, finishing 5-for-6 with three runs scored and five RBIs. He tied Ladka, also lashing two doubles.
• 13 Soaring Eagles scored at least one run in the contest.
• Bellinger was the only EC starter to not cross home plate in the game.
• Rudolph turned in an excellent start on the mound, allowing two hits and one hit batter, while also striking out six, in five scoreless innings of work to snatch the victory.
• Salzman, Cottone and Phelps each turned in a scoreless inning of work in relief.

 
News and Notes

• The win was Elmira's first of the 2016 campaign.
• The 31 runs scored set a new program record for runs scored in a nine-inning game. The team's previous high for a nine-inning game was 11 in a 11-4 victory over SUNY Oneonta on April 28^th of last season. The program's previous high for any game was a 14-run effort in a 14-4 seven-inning win over Hilbert College on April 30^th of last year.
• Elmira's 26 hits were a single-game program record.
• Rudolph and Heggie each set a new program record with five hits in a game.
• Ladka and Rudolph both set new program records with five RBIs in a contest.
• Jenkins set a new program record with five runs scored in a game.
• Rudolph's six strikeouts were a new career high for the second-year righty.
• Zambarano's two hits were the first two of his collegiate career.
• Sampogna went 3-for-6 with three RBIs on the afternoon. The at-bats, hits, and RBIs were all career firsts for the second-year player.

 
Looking Ahead
Elmira returns to action next weekend when it makes another two-day swing through the Keystone State. The Soaring Eagles face Penn State-Abington in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 19^th, while they face Penn State-Harrisburg in a single-game on Sunday, March 20^th.