Score: Utica College 1, Elmira College 0
Score: Elmira College 3, Utica College 3 (Suspended after 10 inn.)
Records: Elmira (4-23, 1-11 E8), Utica (11-15, 6-4 E8)
Location: Dunn Field -- Elmira, N.Y.

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- A one-run loss to Utica College in the Empire 8 Conference series opener and wet conditions in the nightcap spoiled Class of 2019 Recognition Day for the Elmira College baseball team at historic Dunn Field on Friday afternoon.

The Pioneers edged EC in a pitcher's duel in the early contest, as they defeated the Soaring Eagles by a narrow 1-0 margin. Mother Nature then made her way through the Southern Tier during the second game, ultimately forcing the two teams to suspend the matchup with the score tied at 3-all after 10 innings.

Game One
Prior to the senior day ceremonies, fourth-year hurler Nick Cottone '19 toed the rubber for the Purple and Gold opposite Utica's ace, Griffin Baur. The right-handers displayed some of their best stuff while tossing complete games. Unfortunately for Cottone, an unearned run in the fourth proved to be the difference, as the Toms River, New Jersey, native took the loss despite surrendering just four hits with three strikeouts on 92 pitches.

Cottone needed just 10 pitches to complete a one-two-three top of the third and preserve the scoreless draw. However, an errant throw from short allowed the lead-off batter for Utica to reach second in the fourth. Matt Fitzgerald drove in the game's only run two batters later with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Clinging to the 1-0 lead, Baur finished the game with 4.0 perfect innings, as the junior from New York Mills, New York, ended his complete-game effort by retiring 13 in a row.

Game Two
Light rain began to fall at the start of the nightcap and progressively worsened in the later innings. In extras, the sprinkle turned into a downpour, forcing officials to halt the game after 10 innings with the score level at 3-3.

Not only did the precipitation increase as the afternoon passed, but the intensity also heightened. The Soaring Eagles came back in the seventh to knot the score at 2-2 with two away. Tommy Fogarty '20 lofted a double into the right-center gap before Mark Ryan '21 flared an RBI single into right field to plate the tying run. Looking for their first walk-off win of the year, the EC men put runners on first and second with a pair of singles in the ninth, but both Fogarty and Jansen Crossley '20 were stranded on the base path.

Utica's Kiernan Briggs gave the visiting side the advantage in the top of the 10th. Briggs entered off of the bench to run for Charles McAllister, who singled and advanced to second on an Elmira error. Briggs was able to tag-up and reach third on a fly ball to right, before scoring on a wild pitch to put the Pioneers up, 3-2. Andy Reed '19, who entered in the third inning and tossed a strong 7.1 innings of relief, picked up his fourth strikeout of the contest to prevent further damage.

Brendon Sarnowski did not fare as well out of the UC bullpen, as the second-year righty blew his save opportunity in the heavy rainfall. He plunked lead-off batter Jack Thomas '22 and walked the next batter, Max Nolter '22, to put the tying and potential go-ahead runs on base. Then with two outs, he walked Mason Ryan '22 on four consecutive pitches, before issuing another free base to Crossley, which forced home the tying run.

Sarnowski managed to recover in time extend the game to the 11th inning. With the bases loaded and Elmira's most prominent power threat, Harrison Zambarano '19, at the dish, the Utica reliever won a seven-pitch at-bat after falling behind with back-to-back balls.

News and Notes

• Elmira celebrated Class of 2019 Recognition Day on Friday in honor of seniors Cottone, Reed, Zambarano, Jack Donnelly '19 and Blake Phelps '19.
• In the program's fifth varsity season, Cottone, Reed, Zambarano, Donnelly, and Phelps represent EC's second class of four-year letterwinners.
• Cottone recorded his first complete game of the 2019 season in the matinee but took the tough-luck loss after surrendering four hits without a walk.
• With 51 strikeouts as a senior, Cottone becomes just the third Soaring Eagle to strike out over 50 batters in a season.
• Game two of Friday's doubleheader will resume when the Soaring Eagles and Pioneers next meet; a make-up date will be announced when available.
• Stats from the nightcap will be made official when the game concludes, but Fogarty leads all batters in the game with two hits.
• Reed pitched 7.1 innings of relief, giving up two unearned runs with four strikeouts on 100 pitches.

Up Next
Saturday's series finale between Elmira and Utica has been postponed. The Soaring Eagles are scheduled to next play on Tuesday, April 23, when they host the College at Brockport in a non-conference game at 5:30 p.m.