Score (Game 1): Elmira College 16 – Utica College 5
Score (Game 2): Elmira College 10 – Utica College 7
Records: Elmira (12-20, 4-9 Empire 8), Utica (8-21-1, 6-11 Empire 8)
Location: Utica College Baseball Field – Utica, NY
 
Elmira, NY -- The Elmira College baseball team took a big step in its pursuit for a postseason berth on Friday afternoon, securing a pivotal sweep over Utica College, which currently occupies the fourth and final Empire 8 Conference Tournament slot. Elmira now sits just two wins behind Utica in the conference standings, while it holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Pioneers should the teams finished the season level.
 
The Soaring Eagles opened the day by resuming a previously suspended game, which Elmira led 10-5 heading into the sixth inning. Elmira scored eight runs in the first two innings of the contest that was started on April 2^nd. Cameron Heggie '18 delivered a huge bases loaded double that brought home three RBIs to cap a six-run first. Conor Bawiec '18 crushed a two-RBI triple the following inning to stretch the advantage to 8-0.
 
The Pioneers rallied back with five runs over the next three innings, but EC added on two more runs in the fifth, before the game was suspended due to darkness. Rey Colon '18 bashed an RBI-single to make it 10-5.
 
The Purple and Gold wasted little time building on the significant advantage when the teams resumed play this afternoon. Elmira plated runs in the final three innings to run away with the contest by a 16-5 final score.
 
Bryce Plante '18 knocked in a run with an RBI-single to bring home Brian Wehmeyer '16 in the seventh. Wehmeyer added on his own RBIs in the eighth, driving in a pair with a single to right that brought home Dylan Bellinger '17 and Conor Bawiec '18. Bawiec capped off a huge effort in the game with a double to right that plated two more runs, while Dennis Rudolph '18 finished the scoring with an RBI infield single.
 
Although completing the opening game victory was a big result, Elmira needed to remain focused on the task at hand, knowing that a sweep would put the team firmly back in the thick of the postseason hunt.
 
The Soaring Eagles jumped out to a big advantage in the second game of the day. EC tacked on a single run in the first and a seven-run spot in the third inning to take an early 8-0 lead.
 
Elmira used a patient approach during the opening inning, taking advantage of some wildness from Utica starter Alex Rocci. EC scored a run without the benefit of a hit in the first. Plante was hit by a pitch with one-out, while Bellinger and Bawiec reached on free passes to load the bases. Plante came in to score on a wild pitch.
 
EC's seven-run third was aided by some clutch hitting and some shoddy fielding by the home side. Bawiec and Rudolph got the rally started with singles, while Plante and Bellinger came up with big RBI hits to cap the rally.
 
The Pioneers clawed back into the contest off of Bawiec, who also garnered the start in game two after pitching a pair of innings in the conclusion of game one. Utica scored three runs in the fourth and four more runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to a lone run at 8-7.
 
The Soaring Eagles picked up a pair of insurance runs in the eighth inning. Bawiec started the rally with a one-out double to center. Rudolph brought him around during the following at-bat, lacing an RBI-single to right. Wehmeyer kept the rally going with a two-out single, while Colon chased Rudolph home with an RBI-single to left.
 
The insurance runs proved to be nothing more than extra window dressing, as rookie reliever Blake Phelps '19 locked things down for EC. The lanky right-hander fired four scoreless two-hit innings to notch his first career save.
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Elmira outhit Utica 19-to-12 in the day's opener.
• The Pioneers committed two errors, while EC was charged with one defensive miscue.
• Elmira left eight men on base, while Utica stranded 10 base runners.
• Nine Elmira batters collected hits, while seven posted multi-hit efforts.
• Bawiec had a huge effort, equaling his career high with four hits. He finished 4-for-5 with a double, triple, two runs scored, and four RBIs.
• Bellinger went 3-for-5 with a double and three runs scored.
• Wehmeyer finished 2-for-6 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
• Rey Colon '18 went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Plante finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Hayden Rothenberg '17 went 2-for-6 with two runs scored.
• Rudolph went 2-for-6 with two RBIs.
• Cameron Heggie '18 finished 1-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBIs.
• Bawiec picked up the win on the mound, throwing 7.0 innings, while allowing five runs on 11 hits.
• Nick Sampogna '18 finished things off, throwing two scoreless frames and allowing one hit.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• Elmira outhit Utica 13-to-11 in the second contest.
• Both teams finished with three errors.
• Elmira left 11 men on base, while Utica stranded nine base runners.
• Eight Elmira batters collected hits, while five posted multi-hit efforts.
• Bawiec finished 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.
• Rudolph went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Wehmeyer finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
• Jack Thistle '18 finished 2-for-2 with a run scored.
• Rothenberg went 2-for-5 with a run scored.
• Plante went 1-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Bellinger finished 1-for-5 with a triple and one RBI.
• Colon went 1-for-5 with a run scored and one RBI.
• Bawiec picked up his second win of the day, going 5.0 innings and allowing seven runs, six earned, on nine hits.
• Phelps picked up his first career save, throwing four scoreless innings.

News and Notes

• Elmira picked up two wins on the same day for the second time this season.
• EC is now 2-4 all-time against Utica.
• With the two wins, Elmira won its second Empire 8 Conference season series of the year. The Soaring Eagles now hold a head-to-head tiebreaker over both Utica and Houghton College.
• Elmira now trails Utica College by two games in the race for a postseason berth; however, Elmira still has five games left against Empire 8 competition, while the Pioneers only have a single E8 contest remaining.
• Elmira's 16 runs scored in the opening game of the day marked a new high against an Empire 8 Conference foe.
• Bawiec equaled his career high with four hits in game one.
• Bawiec pitched in both games on the day and picked up two victories to up his record to 5-3 on the year.
• With his RBI-triple in game two, Bellinger extended his hitting streak to nine games.
• With his three RBIs in the opening game of the day, Wehmeyer set a new career high for single-game runs driven in. His eight RBIs on the year also marked a new single-season high.
• Heggie's three RBIs also marked a new single-game high.
• Phelps picked up his first career save with four innings of scoreless relief.

Up Next
Elmira continues its big conference weekend tomorrow when it faces SUNY Canton in a twin-bill beginning at 12:00 p.m.