Score (Game One): SUNY Canton 10 – Elmira College 4
Score (Game Two): SUNY Canton 6 – Elmira College 5
Records: SUNY Canton (14-22, 6-11 Empire 8), Elmira (12-22, 4-11 Empire 8)
Location: SUNY Canton Baseball Field – Canton, NY
 
Canton, NY -- Fresh off a pair of huge victories over Utica College, which put the Elmira College baseball team back in the thick of the Empire 8 Tournament race, the Soaring Eagles had their postseason aspirations take a hit on Saturday. EC dropped both ends of a doubleheader against SUNY Canton, falling by 10-4 and 6-5 finals to fall two games back of the Roos in the conference standings.
 
Elmira opened the day by falling in the opener 10-4. The Roos pulled away during the middle innings, scoring all of their runs in the third, fourth, and fifth innings.
 
EC actually jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Hayden Rothenberg '17 led off the inning with a base-on-balls. He advanced into scoring position on a ground out by Bryce Plante '18, while he came around to score on a double down the right-field line by Dylan Bellinger '17.
 
The SUNY Canton offense battled back in the second inning to take a lead it would not relinquish. Brandon Welch tied the game with an RBI-single, after Chris Roenbeck led off the frame with a double to center. The Roos added on a pair of runs by taking advantage of some erratic pitching by EC starter Dennis Rudolph '18.
 
SUNY Canton broke things open over the next two innings. The Roos bashed five hits and plated four runs in the third, while Brandon Welch drove a three-run homer in the fourth to widen the gap at 10-1.
 
EC chipped away in the fifth with an RBI-single by Plante, that brought home Cameron Heggie '18. Conor Bawiec '18 drove in Rothenberg on an RBI-groundout. The Soaring Eagles added another in the sixth, when Rothenberg brought home Jack Thistle '18 with an RBI-single to center. However, the gap was too much for Elmira to bridge.
 
The Soaring Eagles got off to another fast start in the second game of the afternoon, as Rothenberg scored on a wild pitch in the opening frame.
 
The Roos responded four runs in the third inning off of Elmira starter Andy Reed '19. Seth Douglas came up with the key hit of the inning, blasting a two-run homer to left field.
 
EC jumped back ahead with four runs over the next three innings. Rothenberg delivered an RBI-single in the fifth, while Nate Hanner '18 notched RBI base-knocks in the fifth and seventh to take a 5-4 lead.
 
Christian Nazario-Cruz pushed the Roos ahead for good in the bottom of the seventh. He drove home a pair to put SUNY Canton 6-5.
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• SUNY Canton out-hit Elmira 12-to-8 in the opener.
• Elmira was charged with one error, while SUNY Canton did not commit a defensive miscue.
• Both teams left eight runners on base.
• Six Elmira batters collected hits.
• Rothenberg was the only Soaring Eagles to collect a multi-hit game. He finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored, one RBI, and two stolen bases.
• Plante and Bellinger both finished 1-for-4 with an RBI. Bellinger's hit was one of the team's two doubles, while Plante added a stolen base.
• Will Jenkins '18 went 1-for-4 with a double.
• Thistle went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
• Rudolph finished 1-for-3.
• Heggie drew a walk and scored a run.
• Rudolph allowed 10 runs on 11 hits in four innings.
• Mike Ladka '16 worked the final two innings, allowing one hit and two walks. He did not allow a run.

Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• SUNY Canton outhit Elmira 13-to-6 in game two.
• EC committed one defensive miscue, while SUNY Canton played a clean game in the field.
• Elmira left 10 men on base, while the Roos stranded four runners.
• Four Elmira batters collected hits.
• Four Soaring Eagles collected at least one stolen base.
• Rothenberg continued his big day with two hits and a walk in five plate appearances. He finished with a double, two stolen bases, as well as one run scored and one RBI.
• Hanner finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
• Brian Wehmeyer '16 went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
• Jack Thistle '18 went 1-for-1 with two walks, while he also scored a run.
• Bawiec and Rudolph each scored run, though neither recorded a hit.
• Bawiec, Rudolph, and Rothenberg each stole two bases.
• Will Jenkins '18 also swiped one base.
• Andy Reed '19 went the distance, allowing six runs on 13 hits, in eight innings of work.

 
News and Notes

• With the two losses, Elmira is now 0-3 all-time against SUNY Canton.
• The Roos have the head-to-head tiebreaker should the teams finish tied at the conclusion of the regular season.
• The Soaring Eagles trail both Utica and SUNY Canton by two games with three games remaining in conference play.
• Rothenberg continued his hot streak with four more hits. He has posted five straight multi-hit games.
• Reed posted his second complete game of the season.

Up Next
Elmira concludes its season series with SUNY Canton with a 12:00 p.m. contest tomorrow afternoon. It will be a must-win game for the Soaring Eagles conference tournament hopes.