Score (Game One): Elmira College 11 – SUNY Canton 2
Score (Game Two): Elmira College 7 – SUNY Canton 3
Records: Elmira (16-24, 5-13 Empire 8), SUNY Canton (15-24, 6-12 Empire 8)
Location: SUNY Canton Baseball Complex – Canton, NY
 
Canton, NY -- Although the Elmira College baseball team had its postseason hopes come to an end yesterday, the Soaring Eagles put together one of its most inspired efforts of the season on Sunday afternoon. The Purple and Gold swept both ends of a doubleheader against Empire 8 rival, SUNY Canton, by 11-2 and 7-3 finals.
 
The first game of the day represented the final Empire 8 Conference contest of the regular season. SUNY Canton entered Sunday just needing a win over the Soaring Eagles to secure the fourth and final berth to the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. As expected, the Roos sent front-line starter, Travis Bigelow, to the mound to try and lock down the crucial victory. Bigelow went the distance in a victory over the Soaring Eagles last Saturday, but the Roos starter was outshined by Elmira's own staff ace, Nick Sampogna '18, as well as an unrelenting EC offense.
 
The opener got off to a bit of a rocky start. SUNY Canton plated two runs in the first inning, taking advantage of an Elmira error that prolonged the inning. Chris Roenbeck drove in both Canton runs on a single through the right side.
 
The Soaring Eagle offense gained traction the second time through the lineup in the top of the third inning. Elmira plated four runs to snatch away the lead for good in the contest.
 
Bryce Plante '18 and Dylan Bellinger '17 got the rally started with one out, lacing back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Conor Bawiec '18 brought home Elmira's first run on a fielder's choice on which the Roos were unable to get an out. Dennis Rudolph '18 walked to load the bases, setting the stage for the bottom half of the order.
 
Nate Hanner '18 put EC ahead with a single through the left side that brought home Bellinger and Bawiec. Brian Wehmeyer '16 capped the scoring three batters later, ripping an opposite-field single through the right side to chase Rudolph home.
 
The lead proved more than enough for Sampogna who was locked in after the turbulent first. The final out in the first frame started a run in which he retired 14 straight Canton hitters. Overall, he would retire 19-of-21, only relinquishing a single and a walk, over a six inning stretch.
 
Elmira did not sit on the two-run lead, expanding it several times throughout the contest. EC tacked on one run in the fifth, as Rudolph led-off the inning with a double and came home to score on a Wehmeyer RBI-single to left.
 
The Soaring Eagles blew the game open the following inning with four more runs. Bellinger and Bawiec got the rally started with singles. After the Soaring Eagles loaded the bases, Hanner brought home the first run in the frame with an RBI-walk. Wehmeyer continued his big afternoon with a single that brought home two more runs. Hayden Rothenberg '17 capped the scoring with an RBI-single to right.
 
EC pushed its run total into double-digits in the eighth. Bellinger had the big blow with an RBI-single to left. The rout was on, as Elmira led 11-2.
 
The Roos put one final rally together in the bottom of the eighth in attempt to chase Sampogna from the game. Canton loaded the bases with one out, but the second-year righty was able to escape the jam with a strikeout and a foul pop-up. Sampogna went the distance to collect his fourth victory of the season.
 
Both squads wrapped up the regular season in the second game of the doubleheader, which was a seven-inning contest.
 
Again it was the Roos that jumped out to an early lead with a sacrifice fly in the first inning to make the score 1-0. However, Elmira again would respond with a third inning that lifted the visitors into a lead.
 
Bellinger slugged an RBI-single through the left side, while Bawiec pushed EC ahead with an RBI-base knock through the right side. The Soaring Eagles tacked on runs in each of the three innings. Harrison Leslie '18 picked up his first hit of the season with an RBI-single in the fourth. Rudolph added an RBI-single that brought home Bawiec one inning later.
 
Although the Roos were able to cut the deficit back to just a single run with a two-run bottom of the fifth, EC bounced back the next half inning to expand the lead. An RBI-walk by Plante started the scoring, while two more runs came across on a throwing error by the Canton third baseman.
 
Joe Marigliano '17 and Nick Cottone '19 combined to shut down the Roos in a relatively quiet seventh inning to complete the sweep.  
 
Inside the Box Score (Game One)

• Elmira outhit SUNY Canton 13-to-4 in the opener.
• Elmira was charged with one error, while Canton committed three defensive miscues.
• The Soaring Eagles could have had even more than 11 runs, as they left 16 men on base. The Roos stranded six runners.
• Eight Elmira batters collected hits, while three posted multi-hit efforts.
• Wehmeyer had a career game, going 3-for-5 with a run scored and four RBIs.
• Bellinger also collected three hits, finishing 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Rudolph went 2-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. He also stole a base.
• Hanner went 1-for-3 with a run scored and three RBIs. He also added a stolen base.
• Bawiec finished 1-for-6 with two runs scored and one RBI.
• Plante finished 1-for-6 with a run scored.
• Rothenberg went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
• Cameron Heggie '18 finished 1-for-5 with a run scored.
• Sampogna went the distance on the mound. He allowed two unearned runs, relinquishing four hits and three runs. He also struck out a career-best nine in the excellent outing.

 
Inside the Box Score (Game Two)

• SUNY Canton outhit Elmira 9-to-8 in the second game of the day.
• Elmira committed three errors, while Canton was charged with two defensive mistakes.
• EC left seven runners on base, while the Roos stranded eight on the base paths.
• Seven Elmira batters collected hits.
• Five EC players stole a base in the game.
• Bawiec notched Elmira's lone multi-hit effort in game two. He finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, RBI, and stolen base.
• Rothenberg went 1-for-3 with two runs scored. He also stole one base.
• Rudolph finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and one stolen base.
• Hanner went 1-for-3, lashing Elmira's only extra-base hit with a double and scoring one run.
• Leslie finished 1-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI.
• Bellinger went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
• Jenkins bashed a hit, going 1-for-3.
• Plante walked twice, collecting one RBI and one stolen base.
• Although neither started, Josh Haines '18 and Heggie both scored one run. Haines also picked up a steal.
• Phelps went four innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits and two walks. He picked up the victory.
• Davis Salzman '18 went two innings, allowing two runs, one unearned, on three hits. He struck out two Canton batters.
• Marigliano retired the only batter he faced in the seventh, while Cottone struck out one and walked one in closing out the game.

 
News and Notes

• With the two victories, Elmira closes out the season with a 16-24 overall record and a 5-13 mark in Empire 8 play.
• The 16 wins doubles Elmira's win total from its inaugural season.
• Elmira is now 2-3 all-time against SUNY Canton.
• Wehmeyer tied a career high with three hits, while he set a new career-best mark with four RBIs.
• Sampogna threw his first nine-inning complete game of his career. His nine strikeouts also set a new career high.
• Phelps picked up a win in his third straight decision.
• Bellinger's RBI in game two brought his season total to 40. He is the first Elmira player to reach 40-plus RBIs in a season.
• Hanner picked up hits in both games to extend his streak. He will carry a seven-game hit streak into next season.
• Rudolph will carry a six-game hitting streak into next year.