WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- The Elmira College baseball team was defeated in both halves of its season-opening doubleheader on Monday, as the Soaring Eagles fell to Brandeis University, 14-2, and Bates College, 9-4, at the Chain of Lakes Park in Winter Haven, Florida.

Brandeis 14, Elmira 2
The Judges slugged their way to the lead in the first inning and never looked back in their season-opening win over the Soaring Eagles. Brandeis outhit Elmira 19-to-7 and collected seven extra-base hits. In the first inning, the Judges took a 2-0 lead on a home run from Isaac Fossas over the 340-foot fence in left field. And after being held off of the scoreboard in the second inning, Brandeis put up at least one run in each of the remaining frames.

Down 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Elmira showed signs of life with back-to-back singles from Jansen Crossley '20 and Tommy Fogarty '20. Crossley eventually came around to score on a Joey Florio '20 RBI ground out, reducing the deficit to 4-1.

EC's only other run was recorded in the sixth. A two-out Fogarty double was followed by an RBI base hit from Jourdan Plaisted '21. A fielding miscue by the Judges almost led to another run, but the Soaring Eagles stranded two on the base paths and trailed 8-2 after six innings.

Fogarty led all Soaring Eagles by going 3-for-4 in the first contest of the spring. On the mound for Elmira, Taber Carter '21 was saddled with the loss after allowing eight runs with three strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Second-year righty Angus Adams '22 was the lone Soaring Eagle that didn't surrender a run, as he worked one scoreless frame out of the bullpen.

Bates 9, Elmira 4
The second half of Monday's season-opening doubleheader was a much closer bout until the late innings. The Soaring Eagles struck first, driving in a pair of runs in the top of the first to burst out to a 2-0 lead. After being plunked on the shoulder, Mason Ryan '22 advanced to third when Bates' starting pitcher threw away a pick-off attempt at first. Ryan then touched home on a Crossley opposite-field base hit, and Fogarty smacked a double in the ensuing at-bat to plate the second run of the inning.

The Bobcats wasted little time before responding, as Bates evened the score at 2-all in the home half of the first with consecutive two-out hits. And although they added one run in the fourth and another in the sixth to pull ahead 4-2, it remained a two-score game until the eighth, when the Bobcats posted a five-spot to grab a 9-2 advantage.

While the EC offense stranded runners in every inning since the third, the Purple and Gold looked to spark a comeback in the top of the ninth. A full-count walk to James Delaney '22 walk and Ryan single put runners on first and third for Crossley, who took the first pitch he saw to the warning track in left-center for a one-run double. Fogarty tacked on another run with a ground out, but a strikeout ended the comeback bid.

In the middle of the lineup, Ryan, Crossley, Fogarty, and Florio combined for all eight hits in the nightcap. Ryan finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Both Crossley and Florio collected two hits, while Crossley and Fogarty each logged two RBIs.

News and Notes

• Elmira dropped the first-ever meetings against Brandeis and Bates to open the 2020 season.
• Ryan led the team with a .800 batting average (4-for-5) across both games.
• Fogarty also had four hits, going 4-for-9 with a team-high two doubles.
• Fogarty and Crossley each finished the afternoon with a team-high two RBIs.
• With two doubles, Fogarty moved into sole possession of second-place all-time in program history with 26 career two-baggers.
• Corey DeMauro '20, the pitcher of record in the second game, led all EC hurlers with four strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.
• Freshmen Jack Finnerty '23 and Felix De La Cruz '23 each made their collegiate debuts on Monday.

Up Next
Action at Chain of Lakes Park continues on Tuesday, February 18, when the Soaring Eagles face Bates in a rematch of Monday afternoon's contest. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.