Jansen Crossley 2019 batting
7
Winner Ithaca College ITHACA 13-5, 7-1 Empire 8
4
Elmira College ELMIRA 3-17, 1-8 Empire 8
Winner
Ithaca College ITHACA
13-5, 7-1 Empire 8
7
Final
4
Elmira College ELMIRA
3-17, 1-8 Empire 8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Ithaca College ITHACA 0 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 3 7 8 4
Elmira College ELMIRA 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 4 13 1

W: M. Eiel (2-0) L: Reed, Andy (0-4)

8
Winner Ithaca College ITHACA 14-5, 8-1 Empire 8
3
Elmira College ELMIRA 3-18, 1-9 Empire 8
Winner
Ithaca College ITHACA
14-5, 8-1 Empire 8
8
Final
3
Elmira College ELMIRA
3-18, 1-9 Empire 8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Ithaca College ITHACA 0 3 0 0 0 0 5 8 8 1
Elmira College ELMIRA 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3 10 2

W: T. Cosentino (3-1) L: Singh Sarana, Garinder (0-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Battles First-Place Ithaca in Home Doubleheader

Score: Ithaca College 7, Elmira College 4 (9 inn.)
Score: Ithaca College 8, Elmira College 3
Records: Elmira (3-18, 1-9 E8), Ithaca (14-5, 8-1 E8)
Location: Dunn Field -- Elmira, N.Y.

ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College baseball team battled the Bombers of Ithaca College on Saturday afternoon at historic Dunn Field, but the Soaring Eagles were unable to take a game from the Empire 8 Conference leaders. Ithaca took the opening game in extra innings by a 7-4 final score, before winning the nightcap 8-3.

Game One
Originally scheduled for just seven innings, the series opener between Elmira and Ithaca needed a full nine to decide a winner. Tied at 4-all, the two sides held each other scoreless in the seventh and eighth, although EC loaded the bases in the seventh and moved the go-ahead runner to third in the eighth. 

With two away in the home half of the seventh, singles from Jansen Crossley '20 and James Delaney '22, followed by an intentional walk to Jourdan Plaisted '21, put ducks on the pond. Alas, first-year infielder Jared Money '22 flew out to end the frame. In the eighth, Sam Plaugher '20 sent a full-count pitch into center field and moved into scoring position on a sac bunt. A deep fly out allowed Plaugher to tag-up and reach third, but a harmless ground ball was rolled to the Ithaca first baseman for the final out.

The Bombers pushed across three runs in the top of the ninth. Following a double off the bat of Matt Carey, the Soaring Eagles chose to walk Jack Lynch to load the bases and set up a potential inning-ending double play. Ithaca had other plans, however, as a sac fly from Garrett Callaghan and a two-run base hit from Adam Gallagher put the visitors ahead, 7-4.

Facing one of the top starting pitchers in the Empire 8, the 6-foot-8-inch Emmett Dunn, the Soaring Eagles struck first with a trio of runs in the bottom of the third. Fogarty collected two RBIs with a base hit that plated Plaugher and Mason Ryan '22. Crossley then made it 3-0 in favor of EC with an RBI base hit of his own.

Senior righty Nick Cottone '19 toed the rubber to start Saturday's matinee. He was sharp his time through the lineup, as the Toms River, New Jersey, native collected five of his eight strikeouts in the first three innings. The Bombers eventually got to Cottone for four runs in the fourth and fifth, but he recovered in time to toss two scoreless innings to conclude his no-decision.

Game Two
After surrendering three runs in the second, Elmira's Garinder Singh Sarana '20 settled in for an admirable start in the nightcap. Although the flame-throwing right-hander walked seven on 123 pitches, he held the Bombers to just three runs through 5.2 innings, his longest pitching appearance of the 2019 campaign.

Unfortunately, the junior hurler did not receive much offensive support. Elmira managed to outhit Ithaca, 10-to-8, but was held off of the scoreboard until the final inning. In the sixth, EC loaded the bases with walks to Fogarty and Crossley, plus a hit by Mark Ryan '21, but Jourdan Plaisted '21 narrowly missed RBIs. His soft liner had its eyes on shallow right field, but was snagged on a hop by the Ithaca first baseman.

The Soaring Eagles were able to spoil the shutout bid in the seventh. Ithaca reliever Charlie Hammel walked the first batter he faced, the pinch-hitting Max Nolter '22, before giving up back-to-back hits to Plaugher and Mason Ryan. Following Mason Ryan's RBI two-bagger, Fogarty was issued a free base, signaling the end of Hammel's short leash. Elmira continued the late rally against the next Bomber pitcher, Webb Little, as Zambarano flared a two-run hit to right-center that trimmed the deficit to 8-3.

Little didn't let the lead shrink any further, as he retired the ensuing batter with a strikeout and induced a double play to end the contest.

News and Notes
  • EC outhit its conference rival in both games, amassing a total of 23 on Saturday afternoon.
  • Plaugher led Elmira with six hits and a .750 batting average (6-for-8) in the two games combined.
  • In game two, Plaugher batted a perfect 4-for-4, setting a new single-game career-high for hits in a contest.
  • Mason Ryan hit .500 in the doubleheader, with two of his four hits resulting in doubles.
  • Fogarty and Crossley had three hits apiece.
  • Zambarano extended his hit streak to a team-best eight consecutive games.
  • Cottone led all players in the early bout with eight strikeouts.
  • Cottone's first strikeout marked the 100th of his career, making him the third player in program history to eclipse the milestone.

Up Next
Elmira and Ithaca will finish their three-game Empire 8 series on Sunday, April 7, with a 1:00 p.m. tilt inside the friendly confines of Dunn Field.

 
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