ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College baseball team is eager to shake off the snow and blistering cold temperatures of the Upstate New York winter and kick off its third season of varsity competition, which begins on Tuesday, February 21st, against Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.

The Soaring Eagles have good reason to be excited for the upcoming season. The team returns nearly the entire lineup from a year ago after losing only three players to graduation: catcher Brian Wehmeyer '16, reliever Mike Ladka '16, and hockey-defenseman-turned-outfielder Rob Simpson '16. Included among the returners are all four of EC's Empire 8 All-Conference honorees: first baseman Dylan Bellinger '17, center fielder Hayden Rothenberg '17, utility man Conor Bawiec '18, and ace Nick Sampogna '18.

Fueled by one of the conference's top offenses – which finished second in batting average (.298), as well as third in both runs scored (264) and runs driven in (226) – Elmira doubled its win total in 2016 with a 16-24 overall record. The Soaring Eagles missed out on a berth in the Empire 8 Conference's postseason tournament by a just single game, leaving a bad taste in the mouths of many.

"We've talked a lot about expectations and what we want to accomplish," said Head Coach Corey Paluga, who has been at the helm of the program since its inaugural season in 2015. "Ultimately, one of the big goals for us this year is to qualify for the Empire 8 Tournament. If we are in that mix, then we've continued to build on our first two years and we'll know that we're heading in the right direction."

Paluga added, "Just missing the conference tournament by one game last year lit a fire under a lot of guys because they realized just how close we were and how far we've come in two short years."

EC's skipper also noted that, in addition to the overwhelming amount of returning talent, the freshmen and newcomers will provide the 2017 convocation of Soaring Eagles with an unprecedented amount of depth and several options on the lineup card. A lack of depth, especially on the mound, proved to be most detrimental to the Purple and Gold during the thick of last year's schedule. Of the 40 games on the docket in 2016, 22 were played in a 31-day span from April 8th to May 8th, which heavily taxed EC's most reliable arms.

"From top to bottom, we have more all-around depth than we have in previous years," Paluga said. "It's a good thing for the returning players because they can't be stagnate and feel like they are entitled to a position, and the freshmen have to realize that they'll have to show they are ready to play."

"With having a strong group of returning players, we're not going to have to rely on freshmen like we have in the past," he added. "Not to say they're not going to have an impact in the success we have, but we hope they're going to complement the returning players. Hopefully that takes pressure off of this freshman class, knowing that they're not going to have to carry the team like freshmen of years past."

Key Returners
DYLAN BELLINGER '17 – 1B
There is no questioning that Dylan Bellinger '17 possesses one of the biggest bats in the Empire 8, as he finished among conference leaders in a plethora of offensive categories. He raked opposition pitchers to the tune of a .378 batting average (seventh) with 62 hits (fourth), 21 doubles (first), five home runs (sixth), and 100 total bases (fourth). For his efforts, Bellinger was one of two Soaring Eagles named to the E8 All-Conference First Team, and became the first player in program history to garner All-Region accolades.

"Dylan proved that he is one of the most dangerous hitters in the conference last year," Paluga said. "As he continues to develop, he could be a big source of production in the middle of our lineup again this season."

CONOR BAWIEC '18 – INF/RHP
If one were to look up the term "utility player" in a baseball dictionary, chances are they'll find a picture of Conor Bawiec '18. He was one of EC's top options on the mound last year and led the pitching staff with five wins, and despite an inflated 5.43 ERA, Paluga called him "one of the top arms in the league." At the plate, Bawiec boasted a .395 average, third-best among qualifying batsmen in the E8, while hitting clean-up behind Bellinger. The question is, defensively, where will Bawiec play when he's not pitching? His prior experience is at third and short, but he's a candidate to also see time at first, or even in the outfield. Chances are Bawiec will line up at several different positions in 2017.

"He's certainly going to play a role both on the mound and as a position player," Paluga stated. "He could easily see time on the left side of the infield, but we had him getting reps at first base for the majority of our fall season. With getting time at first base, we hope that puts less wear and tear on his arm, so he can be that much more effective on the mound."

HAYDEN ROTHERNBERG '17 – OF/C
A reigning E8 All-Conference First-Team honoree, Hayden Rothenberg '17 has found a home atop the Elmira order thanks to his blazing speed. His bat is steady; he's recorded a .340 average in both 2015 and 2016, and his career on-base percentage of .416 makes him the perfect lead-off candidate. However, due to the graduation of the aforementioned Wehmeyer, Paluga hinted towards Rothenberg seeing reps behind the plate, a position he played as a freshman at Augsburg College.

Said Paluga about Rothenberg, "I think if you looked game-by-game over the course of the first two years, our success has really been correlated to how he's doing. He's certainly going to be someone that can set the tone for us from the get-go, getting on base and creating some concern for the other teams when he is on the base path."

NICK SAMPOGNA '18 – RHP
What a year 2016 was for "Big Red." The first relief appearance of 2016 for Nick Sampogna '18 was far from spectacular; however, after an extended outing with 5.1 innings of one-run ball on March 12th at Eastern University, he embarked on a marvelous transformation that saw him evolve into one of the best arms in the league. Sampogna concluded his sophomore campaign with a 2.90 ERA and 53 strikeouts, which ranked fifth in the E8 in both categories.

"When he started to believe in his ability, in his pitches, in what he could do on the mound, not only did his numbers improve, but you could see his body language get better," Paluga noted. "His attitude and competitiveness also continued to grow and intensify. He really established himself as a pitcher to watch around the league last year and people started taking note of that."

ANDY REED '19 – LHP
As a freshman, the EC coaching staff had high expectations for Andy Reed '19 and thrust him directly into the rotation. He was tied with Bawiec for the team lead in starts (9) and finished third with 56.1 innings, but his win-loss record (1-5) and ERA (6.07) weren't telling of a top-of-the-rotation caliber pitcher. Reed refined his skills in summer ball, where he flashed an improved changeup against a bevy of Division I and II batters. That workload should bode well for the sophomore, who was also voted a team captain.

"I believe wholeheartedly that the numbers aren't indicative of the impact he has on our team," Paluga said. "He understands the type of pitcher that he is; he relies on location, on getting ahead, and pitching to contact. With his experience as a freshman and his experience this past summer, he is a breakout candidate from a numbers-perspective."

TOP NEWCOMERS
JANSEN CROSSLEY '20 & SAM PLAUGHER '20
According to Paluga, the talent of the incoming class will push several veterans for playing time. One area that is not set in stone is the middle infield. Any combination of Bawiec, Bryce Plante '18, and Matt van Muelken '18 could fill those two spots, but freshmen Jansen Crossley '20  and Sam Plaugher '20 are right on their heels.

"Jansen, he's more of the second baseman and Sam is more of the shortstop," Paluga said. "Sam is going to push Bryce at short and Jansen is going to push Matt van Muelken at second for reps and time. As a coach, those are the decisions that you want, deciding who is hot right now and who we need to put in the lineup."

TOMMY FOGARTY '20
Another freshman that impressed the coaching staff during fall ball was first baseman Tommy Fogarty '20. Although Bellinger is back for a senior season and Bawiec has taken reps at first, Fogarty will find himself in the mix there and as a designated hitter, due to his maturity at the plate and the option to add another lefty bat to the lineup.

"Left-handed bats were something that we needed to bring into the program, and he showed a very consistent bat in the fall," said Paluga about the rookie from Wayne, Pennsylvania. "One thing we talked to him about, whether it's at first base or DH, was his consistency will play a part in how often he's in the lineup."

COREY DeMAURO '20
Among a solid group of first-year pitchers is Corey DeMauro '20, a slender righty who is coming off of a well decorated career at Westhill High School, where he won a Section III Championship and a league Pitcher of the Year award. DeMauro may only tip the scales at 150 pounds, but this 6-foot-1-inch Syracuse, New York, native throws from a low arm slot, making him a natural candidate to see plenty of innings in relief.

"I expect Corey to be an effective reliever who creates good movement with multiple pitches," Paluga added. "He is very competitive and intense on the mound. We're looking for him to frustrate hitters and be key addition to the bullpen."

GARINDER SINGH SARANA '20
While Canada may be best known for hockey, Elmira's roster touts a strong contingent of north-of-the-border ball players. Joining Crossley on the cross-continental trip from British Columbia to Upstate New York is right-handed pitcher Garinder Singh Sarana '20. This 6-foot-6-inch, hard-throwing Canadian is an imposing figure out of the bullpen and has the potential to earn a few starts.

"Garinder has a very high ceiling and is extremely athletic," said Paluga about the towering hurler. "He was one of the hardest working pitchers on the team throughout the offseason. He will likely to be a quality middle reliever, who may see some starts with consistency."

General Outlook
The Soaring Eagles have high aspirations for the 2017 season, but in order to reach their goal of a postseason berth, they'll have to traverse a very tough Empire 8 schedule. Not only are the Cardinals of St. John Fisher College coming off of a Division III World Series appearance, but they'll open the season ranked eighth in the nation, according to the preseason edition of D3baseball.com/NCBWA Top 25. In addition, Ithaca College, which has won five consecutive E8 titles, is receiving votes in the national polls, while Stevens Institute of Technology has established itself as a perennial power in the New York Region.

EC can position itself nicely in the standings early, as the Soaring Eagles open the E8 slate with a series against both Utica College and Houghton College. Paluga indicated that securing those conference victories would be vital to the team's success down the stretch. Unlike 2016, when his team was unable to catch up late in the season, Elmira will want to start off the Empire 8 portion of the 2017 schedule on the right foot.

Perhaps the most grueling portion of the league slate takes place in an eight-day span beginning on April 19th. Wrapped around a three-game set at home against SUNY Canton are three contests against the Cardinals, including a doubleheader in Rochester, New York, to end conference play on April 26th. Last year, the Soaring Eagles had their playoff ambitions all but slashed when Canton swept both ends of a doubleheader in North Country in late April, and the series with the Kangaroos will surely carry serious implications again in 2017. On the same note, stealing a game from Fisher, who may be trying to secure home field advantage in the tournament at that time, would provide a serious boost of confidence late in the season.

Season Opener
One of eight new faces on the 2017 schedule, Christopher Newport University, will host the Soaring Eagles in Newport News, Virginia, on Tuesday, February 21st, at 2:00 p.m. While the non-conference tilt serves as EC's season opener, it will be the eighth game of the spring for the Captains. Last season, CNU climbed as high as No. 11 in the national polls, before concluding the campaign with a 25-14 record. A player to watch for the Captains is senior infielder Keith Roberts, a former Division I transfer. Roberts will anchor the lineup after earning All-Capital Athletic Conference honors in 2016, when he batted .357 with a .476 on-base percentage, 34 runs, and 28 RBIs.

For more information on the 2017 schedule, click here.