Score: Alfred State 8 – Elmira College 7 (10 inn.)
Records: Alfred State (12-19), Elmira (10-20)
Location: Alfred State Baseball Field – Alfred, NY
 
Alfred, NY -- A little more than one week after suffering a heart-breaking close loss to Alfred State, the Pioneers completed the season sweep of the Elmira College baseball team with another tight contest filled with late-inning theatrics. Alfred State stormed back in its final at-bat to force extra innings, before walking off the Soaring Eagles 8-7 in the 10^th frame.
 
With Elmira leading 7-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Pioneers began to chip away against Elmira reliever Andrew Ashworth '19. Although the rookie right-hander navigated a clean eighth inning, Alfred State slapped three consecutive singles to begin the inning. Cullen Franz delivered the third hit in that train of singles, which drove in a run to cut the Elmira lead to 7-5.
 
The Purple and Gold, endeavoring to save its main arms for the upcoming five Empire 8 Conference games over the next three days, turned to primary centerfielder Hayden Rothenberg '17 to lock things down. Although Rothenberg appeared on the mound several times last season, this afternoon marked his first relief outing of 2016. The junior was able to settle the ship, but not before both of his inherited runners from Ashworth came around to score to tie the game at 7-7.
 
The Pioneers won it the following inning. Pedro Mora reached on an error to begin the frame. He was sacrificed into scoring position and came around to score two batters later on another RBI-single from Franz, dealing the Soaring Eagles their second frustrating defeat in the season series.
 
Elmira looked to have things in control earlier in the contest. Although EC fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning, the visitors rallied for big innings in the third and fourth to take a comfortable 6-2 advantage.
 
The Soaring Eagles plated two runs in the third to break the ice on their side of the scoreboard. Jack Thistle '18 walked to begin the inning, while Rothenberg advanced him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Will Jenkins '18 continued his strong recent stretch with his first of two RBI-doubles on the afternoon. Dylan Bellinger '17 and Conor Bawiec '18 followed with back-to-back singles, the latter's driving in Jenkins to push Elmira ahead 2-1.
 
After the Pioneers tied the game in the bottom half of the inning, Elmira struck for four more runs in the fourth. All the offense came with two outs with Jack Thistle '18 again getting things started with a single to left. Rothenberg followed with a single, while both runners advanced 90-feet on a wild pitch. Jenkins ripped a double down the right-field line to bring both across to break the deadlock. Bellinger, Bawiec and Rudolph all continued the hit parade with base-knocks, the singles by Bawiec and Rudolph scoring runs.
 
Alfred State chipped away at the Elmira lead, scratching across an unearned run off of Joe Marigliano '17 and Rudolph in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively. Elmira added one back to its advantage in the top of the ninth, when Rudolph slapped an infield single to the right side that brought Jenkins across. Unfortunately, the three-run lead was not enough to hold off the late charge by Alfred State.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Elmira outhit Alfred State 13-to-11 in the contest.
• Elmira committed four errors in the game, while Alfred State was charged with two defensive miscues.
• EC finished with nine men left on base, while the Pioneers stranded eight runners.
• Six Elmira batters collected hits, while five Soaring Eagles notched multi-hit games.
• Bawiec had an excellent game, bashing a game-high four hits in going a perfect 4-for-4 with two RBIs.
• Jenkins finished with a monster game, going 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles, scoring three runs and driving in three RBIs.
• Rothenberg and Bellinger each finished 2-for-5 with a run scored.
• Rudolph also went 2-for-5, while he added two RBIs.
• Thistle collected one hit and one walk in four plate appearances. He scored a pair of runs.
• Davis Salzman '18 got the start for EC, allowing two runs, one of which was earned, in four innings of work. He allowed four hits and three walks, while he also struck out a game-high four.
• Marigliano allowed two hits and one unearned run in two innings of work.
• Rudolph was tagged for one unearned run, finishing with one walk and one strikeout.
• Ashworth allowed three runs, all earned, on three hits and one walk in one-plus innings of work.
• Rothenberg took the loss, allowing one unearned run in 1.1 innings.

 
News and Notes

• With the loss, Alfred State swept the season series with EC, both games decided by one run.
• Elmira is now 0-4 all-time against Alfred State. All four games have been decided by two runs or fewer.
• Today's contest was Elmira's third extra-inning game of the season. EC falls to 0-3 in extras this season, with all three games ending in 10 innings.
• The contest marked the third time this season Elmira has blown a lead in the opponent's final at-bat. EC is now 10-3 when leading heading into the final inning this season.
• Bawiec posted a new single-game career high with four hits. It was his 12^th multi-hit game of the season.
• Jenkins stretched his hitting streak to six games with another strong outing. He is hitting .409 (9-for-22) over that stretch, while he has also collected four doubles and six RBIs.
• Bellinger stretched his hitting streak to eight games. He is hitting .400 (14-for-35) over the stretch, while he has bashed three doubles, three homeruns, and collected 10 RBIs.
• Rothenberg made his first pitching appearance of the season.

 
Up Next
Elmira jumps back into Empire 8 Conference play tomorrow afternoon, when it kicks off stretch with huge conference tournament implications against Utica College. The teams will resume a suspended game, which Elmira led 10-5 in the sixth inning, while they will also close out the season series with another nine-inning contest. The modified doubleheader is set to get underway at 2:00 p.m.