Score (Game 1): Elmira College 8 – Houghton College 5
Score (Game 2): Houghton College 8 – Elmira College 4
Records: Elmira (8-14, 2-7 Empire 8), Houghton (13-16, 3-6 Empire 8)
Location: Dunn Field – Elmira, NY
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College baseball team concluded its three-game series against Houghton College on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader with an 8-5 win in game one, before coming up on the short end of an 8-4 decision in the series capper. Coming off a victory over the Highlanders yesterday, today's split gave Elmira the first overall series win over an Empire 8 Conference foe in program history.
 
Much like yesterday, when Elmira broke things open with five-run sixth inning to build an insurmountable lead, the sixth proved to again be fruitful for the Soaring Eagles in Saturday's opener. Trailing 3-2 heading into their penultimate at-bat, the Purple and Gold crossed the plate six times to turn a deficit into a comfortable lead.
 
Conor Bawiec '18, Elmira's starting pitcher in the opening contest, helped his own cause by reaching on a bunt single down the third-base line to begin the inning. Nate Hanner '18 followed with a walk. After Will Jenkins '18 struck out, Bryce Plante '18 and Matt van Muelken '18 followed with back-to-back singles, the latter's tying the game at 3-3 and leaving the bases loaded.
 
The Highlanders turned to their bullpen to try to escape the inning with the game tied. Lucas Cornell came on for the visitors and looked to have induced a ground ball from Hayden Rothenberg '17 that would have ended the inning. The EC centerfielder reached out to slap a soft one hopper toward second base, but Houghton's Chris Welch misjudged the spin on the awkward grounder, allowing the go-ahead run to cross. Dennis Rudolph '18 and Dylan Bellinger '17 made the visitors pay. Rudolph slashed a base-knock that was stopped on a fantastic dive by Houghton's first-baseman Tage Johnson, but had no chance to beat the speedy Rudolph in a race to the bag. Bellinger followed with the big blow in the inning, blasting a bases-clearing double to widen the gap to 8-3.
 
Although Houghton was able to push across a pair of runs in the top of the seventh, Bawiec buckled down to finish off his complete game with a pair of strikeouts of Ethan Duryea and Jens Omdal to end the game. He finished with a career-best nine punch outs in the contest.
 
While Elmira's ability to put up crooked number innings played a big part in the team taking the first two games of the series, it was Houghton that was able to mark a big inning to take control of the nightcap of the doubleheader.
 
The Highlanders broke a 3-3 deadlock with a four-run inning in the fifth inning to take control of the contest. Nick Cottone '19 got the spot start for Elmira, but some wildness throughout the outing helped Houghton string together some scoring innings. He was pulled with two outs in the fifth, after two runs had already scored. EC reliever Mike Ladka '16 allowed his one inherited runner to score on a wild pitch to close the book on Cottone with six runs, all earned, in 4.2 innings.
 
Elmira got runners on base in each of the final four innings, but the Soaring Eagles only were able to push one across in the 8-4 loss.
 
In His Own Words…
Head Coach Corey Paluga on today's contests…
"We talked all week about the opportunity to put ourselves in a good position within the conference. To take the first game today, it takes a lot of pressure off of us. The guys played well. It wasn't our strongest performance of the year, but we were able to gut it out and pick up a big win in the first game."
 
Paluga on the program winning its first series in Empire 8 Conference play…
"It was such a big accomplishment for our team to be able to reach another milestone and win our first series in conference. As a second-year program, it was nice to be able to check off that box and show the continued growth and progress we are making."
 
Paluga on Bawiec's gritty performance…
"Today was kind of a tough day for Conor out there in that he did not really have that pin-point control that he usually possesses in his starts. Although he got off to a tough start, it was really impressive to see him grind out the outing and give the team a chance to come back. Keeping us within striking distance was extremely important."
 
Paluga on taking advantage of an opportunity…
"Getting that crooked number on the scoreboard late in the contest to take the lead was so big for our guys. Unfortunately, we have been on the other side of that a few times this season, so it was nice to see us capitalize when the opportunity presented itself in the sixth. The guys stayed focused and executed with some clutch at bats. I think at this point in the season the guys know that they can play with anyone in the conference and they are never out of a contest. The team really fed off of each other and it was great to see that positive energy."
 
Paluga on tomorrow's make-up date with Stevens…
"Tomorrow is another opportunity to show that we can play with anyone in the conference. Our two previous games against Stevens, we were right there with them until the end of that second game. It will be a difficult test, but I think our guys are energized for it and we are excited to get after it."
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Elmira outhit Houghton 9-to-6 in the opening contest of the afternoon.
• EC committed four errors in the contest, while Houghton finished with a pair of defensive miscues.
• Seven Elmira batters collected hits in the game.
• Rudolph recorded the only multi-hit game for either team in the opener, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI.
• Bellinger went 1-for-4 with his lone hit a double that drove in three RBIs.
• Bawiec went 1-for-4 with two runs scored.
• Rothenberg finished 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
• van Muelken went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
• Plante finished 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Jenkins went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
• Although he did not record a hit, Hanner walked twice and scored a run.
• Bawiec went the distance on the mound to collect his second complete game win of the season. He allowed five runs, four of them earned, while he struck out a career high nine Highlander hitters.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• Houghton outhit Elmira 10-to-6 in the nightcap.
• The Highlanders committed five defensive miscues, while EC finished with just one error.
• Four different EC batters collected hits.
• Rudolph posted his second multi-hit effort of the day, going 2-for-5 with an RBI.
• Bawiec finished 1-for-3 with a walk, RBI, and a run scored.
• Hanner went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
• Plante finished 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
• van Muelken drew a base-on-balls and scored a run.
• Bellinger went 0-for-4, but did steal a base.
• Rothenberg scored the other EC run.
• Nick Cottone '19 got the start for Elmira, allowing six runs, all earned, in 4.2 innings of work. He allowed seven hits and three walks, while he finished with four strikeouts.
• Mike Ladka '16 allowed two hits and two runs, both earned, in 0.2 innings of work.
• Davis Salzman '18 turned in an excellent relief outing, going 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and three free passes.
• Joe Marigliano '17 finished things off, retiring the only batter he faced.

News and Notes

• With the split, Elmira secured its first series win over an Empire 8 Conference foe in program history.
• Elmira is now 3-3 all-time against Houghton College.
• Bawiec reached base with hits in both games, stretching his streak of reaching base safely to 33 consecutive contests dating back to last season.
• Bawiec has hit safely in eight straight contests.
• Bawiec finished his second complete game victory of the season.
• Rudolph collected multiple hits in both contests. He has now posted nine multi-hit efforts this season, which is second most on the team.
• van Muelken, Bawiec, and Rothenberg each scored at least one run in all three games of the series with Houghton.

Up Next
Elmira baseball concludes its busy Empire 8 weekend when it welcomes the Stevens Institute of Technology for the final game of a three-game set in a make-up contest beginning at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon.