Empire 8 Release

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Nick Cottone '19 received his first weekly award from the Empire 8 Conference on Monday, as the Elmira College senior was crowned the first E8 Pitcher of the Week of the 2019 season.

Cottone is the third player in program history to garner Empire 8 Pitcher of the Week accolades, joining Conor Bawiec '18 and Nick Sampogna '18, who combined to win the award six times from 2016-18.

On Monday, February 18, Cottone recorded a quality start and earned his second career victory on the mound against Greensboro College. The fourth-year right-handed hurler allowed one run on two hits – both career lows for a game in which he started. In 6.0 innings, he struck out four and limited the Pride to a paltry 0.95 batting average.

After giving up a run in the bottom of the first, the Toms River, New Jersey, native retired the next seven batters and shut out the Pride in his last five frames. Cottone tossed 1-2-3 innings in the second and fifth, and worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the sixth to preserve Elmira's 8-1 lead.

Cottone and the Soaring Eagles will resume action with a pair of non-conference doubleheaders this weekend. On Saturday, March 2, the Purple and Gold will travel to Frederick, Maryland, for a twin bill against the Hood College Blazers, beginning at 12:00 p.m.