COLUMBIA, Md. -- The Elmira College baseball team was clipped by McDaniel College in a pair of tightly-contested games on Saturday afternoon at Blandair Regional Park in Columbia, Maryland. The Green Terror took the opening game by a 3-1 final score, before completing the sweep with a 2-1 win in the nightcap.

Although the Elmira (2-6) pitching staff surrendered a mere seven hits between the two contests, unbeaten McDaniel (5-0) was able to push across just enough runs to secure the close victories. On the other hand, the Soaring Eagles outhit the Green Terror with a combined 10 hits, but EC stranded eight runners on the bases.

McDaniel 3, Elmira 1
The Green Terror cashed in on an early scoring opportunity in the bottom of the first. With two in scoring position, Joey Hubinger and Jack Slater grounded out to Elmira second baseman Jared Money '22 in consecutive at-bats to put McDaniel up 2-0.

The Soaring Eagles cut that lead in half in the third inning. With two outs, Sam Plaugher '20 took advantage of two errors by the McDaniel infield to reach base safely and score. EC produced hit in the fourth and fifth innings, but was unable to advance either runner into scoring position.

Down by two in the seventh, Joey Florio '20 led off with frame with a single and swiped second. However, the senior third baseman was left at third, as McDaniel starter Ryan Martino finished his complete-game victory with his second strikeout of the afternoon.

Third-year righty Taber Carter '21 (1-2) was saddled with the loss in a complete-game effort of his own. Carter allowed three runs on four hits, one walk, and one strikeout on 72 pitches.

McDaniel 2, Elmira 1
The Soaring Eagles had more hits (6-to-3), including a trio of extra-base hits, but once again struggled to produce runs. Down by one in the top of the second, Max Nolter '22 was walked on four consecutive pitches out of the zone, but right before Jourdan Plaisted '20 cracked a double to right field, Nolter was picked off first base.

Trailing 2-0 in the third, Jack Volpe '20 slugged a triple and came home for EC's only run of the game on a Mark Ryan '20 ground ball to second. In the fifth inning, Volpe laced a double down the left-field line to put the potential tying run in scoring position, but Ryan just missed his second RBI with a liner right at the second baseman for the third out.

The Purple and Gold had one more opportunity in the seventh. Nolter led off the inning with an infield base hit, but the runner was wiped from the bases on a 6-4-3 double play in the next at-bat.

Three Elmira pitchers combined to allow one earned run on three hits, four walks and four hit-by-pitches. Robert Gruber '22 (0-2) was used as an opener and was tagged with the loss after allowing McDaniel's first run in the first inning. Angus Adams '22 was charged with an unearned run in 3.0 innings, while Alex Crysler '21 wrapped up the final 2.0 innings without allowing a hit.

News and Notes

• In the first-ever meetings between the two programs, McDaniel took a 2-0 lead in the all-time series.
• EC outhit McDaniel in the late game, 6-to-3, and finished the doubleheader with a 10-to-7 advantage in hits.
• Florio and Volpe each logged two hits to pace the Soaring Eagles.
• Both of Volpe's hits went for extra bases, as he slugged .833 on the day.
• Plaisted, Money, and Andrew Frye '23 each hit .333 with one hit in three at-bats.
• Adams and Gruber were tied for the team lead with two strikeouts apiece.
• Crysler was the only Elmira pitcher to hold the Green Terror without a hit or run on Saturday.

Up Next
Elmira's weekend of doubleheaders concludes on Sunday, March 1, when the Soaring Eagles visit Stevenson University for a non-conference twin bill. First pitch at Sugar Field in Stevenson, Maryland, is set for 11:00 a.m.