Score: Covenant College (Ga.) 4, Elmira College 3
Records: Covenant (2-5), Elmira (0-1)
Location: LakePoint Sports Complex -- Emerson, Ga.

EMERSON, Ga. -- The Elmira College baseball team put runners on the corners in the top of the ninth inning in Monday's season-opener against Covenant College (Ga.), but the potential game-tying run was thrown out trying to score on a would-be wild pitch, resulting in a narrow 4-3 loss.

Down by one, Tommy Fogarty '20 led off the ninth with a single and was replaced by the fleet-footed Sam Plaugher '20, who represented the tying run. Plaugher advanced to second on a wild pitch and took third on a base hit from Jansen Crossley '20. With one out, a pitch from Covenant's Taylor Bloye sailed to the backstop. However, the ball ricocheted quickly back to the catcher, Ken Alexander, and he caught Plaugher, who was halfway down the baseline, in a rundown. Although Mark Ryan '21 was able to move into scoring position by taking second base on the play, Nate Hanner '18 grounded out to end the inning and the game.

EC struck first in the contest, as the Soaring Eagles grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Conor Bawiec '18 RBI single. That lead lasted until the third inning when Bawiec surrendered a pair of runs on a Joel Johnson triple. Johnson then tagged up and scored on the ensuing fly out by Tyler Moore to extend the Scots' lead to 3-1. In the fourth inning, Alex Gonzalez padded Covenant's lead with the eventual game-winning run on a solo homer.

Despite giving up the four runs, all of which were earned, Bawiec struck out nine batters – just one shy of his career- and program-record – without giving up a walk in 6.0 innings of work.

The Purple and Gold responded in the fifth. Cameron Heggie '18 was issued a two-out walk against reliever Ross Skipper, and Eddie O'Donnell IV '18 launched the first pitch he saw in the following at-bat over the wall in left field for his first home run as a Soaring Eagle. EC proceeded to load the bases with two outs on an error, a Jack Volpe '20 single and a dropped third strike that allowed Bryce Plante '18 to reach first safely. Alas, all three runners were stranded, as Bawiec popped up to end the threat.

News and Notes

• The game was relocated to the LakePoint Sports Complex in Emerson, Georgia, due to overnight rain that made Covenant's on-campus field in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, unplayable.
• Elmira opened a second consecutive season with a one-run loss, this after falling to Christopher Newport University, 6-5, in 11 innings in the first game of the 2017 campaign.
• Bawiec finished one strikeout shy of tying his own program record.
• O'Donnell's home run marks the first of his collegiate career.
• Volpe, who made his collegiate debut on Monday after missing his entire freshman season due to injury, recorded his first hit, run and stolen base.
• Ryan, a first-year infielder, also made his debut as a pinch runner.
• Andy Reed '19 tossed two scoreless innings in his first appearance out of the bullpen for EC.

Up Next
Elmira's southern excursion continues with a doubleheader on Tuesday, February 20, against the Hawks of Huntingdon College. First pitch from Montgomery, Alabama, is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. CT).