Score: SUNY Canton 9, Elmira College 8
Records: SUNY Canton (7-23, 4-9 E8), Elmira (4-26, 2-13 E8)
Location: Dunn Field -- Elmira, N.Y.

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College baseball team was defeated by the SUNY Canton Kangaroos, 9-8, in the opening game of their Empire 8 Conference series at historic Dunn Field on Class of 2018 Recognition Day.

Prior to the contest, the Class of 2018, which features the first group of four-year letter winners in program history, was recognized on the field with family members. In addition to parents throwing ceremonial first pitches to their sons, the seniors present gifts to Head Coach Corey Paluga and Pat Thompson, EC's Vice President of Athletics.

Sticking with the theme, Paluga enlisted an all-senior starting lineup. Three of those seniors – Nate Hanner '18, Nick Sampogna '18, and Dennis Rudolph '18 – earned RBIs in a five-run third inning that put the Purple and Gold on top early. A bases-loaded hit-by-pitch allowed Hanner to take first and force in the team's first run. Sampogna then hit a high fly that landed in left field with the Canton outfielders shifted to the right. That single drove in two runs, and Rudolph smoked a triple off the wall in center that plated two more to put the Soaring Eagles up 5-2.

After the 'Roos trimmed the deficit down to 5-4 in the top of the fourth, Elmira widened the gap back to three runs in the home half of the inning. Senior Matt van Muelken '18 drove in classmate Cameron Heggie '18 with an RBI single, and fourth-year shortstop Bryce Plante '18 plated Will Jenkins '18 with a groundout that gave the Soaring Eagles a 7-4 advantage.

SUNY Canton began their comeback in the sixth inning, as the Kangaroos tied the game at 7-all. In the seventh, Collin Lynk gave Canton its first lead since the top of the third with a run-scoring single. Although the Soaring Eagles evened the score on a wild pitch in the seventh that allowed pinch-runner Jack Volpe '20 to reach home, Lynk played hero in the top of the ninth.

With two outs in the ninth, Lynk skied what appeared to be a routine pop up in the direction of Plante at shortstop. However, a steady wind that blew out to left field carried the ball into shallow left, forcing Plante to retreat further than expected. He was unable to get a glove on the ball, which landed between him and Heggie in the outfield, allowing Wilson Matos to score the winning run.

Tommy Fogarty '20 provided some late life with a two-out single in the bottom of the inning. Fogarty moved into scoring position on a passed ball, but Heggie lost a valiant battle at the plate and struck out against reliever Anthony Tur.

Sampogna started on the mound and tossed five-plus innings in a spirited outing. He allowed seven runs (five earned) and struck out four. Lefty Andy Reed '19 was the tough-luck loser, despite striking out four in 4.0 innings of relief.

News and Notes

• Elmira celebrated Class of 2018 Recognition Day on Saturday night in honor of its 12 seniors, the first class of four-year letter winners in the young program's history.
• EC is 4-5 all-time against SUNY Canton following Saturday's one-run loss.
• Eight of the nine seniors in the starting lineup either scored a run or recorded a hit.
• Sampogna and van Muelken led Elmira batters with two hits apiece.
• Sampogna and Rudolph both finished with two RBIs.
• Reed's four strikeouts vs. Canton increased his season total to a career-high 23.

Up Next
Elmira and SUNY Canton will return to Dunn Field on Sunday, April 29, for an Empire 8 doubleheader. First pitch for the opening game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.