ELMIRA, N.Y. -- The Elmira College baseball team played a pair of close games against former Empire 8 Conference opponent SUNY Canton, as the 'Roos returned home to North Country after earning wins of 7-4 and 4-1 on Thursday at historic Dunn Field.

Although the Soaring Eagles (0-8) were outhit a combined 20-to-9 in the doubleheader, Elmira had numerous chances to push across more runs in both games. In the opening bout, the Soaring Eagles stranded 10 men on base, and they did so seven more times in the nightcap.

SUNY Canton 7, Elmira 4
Senior outfielder Shane Hake '21 and junior catcher Luke Frontale '22 supplied the majority of Elmira's firepower in the early game. Hake reached base each time he stepped to the plate, going 2-for-2 with two walks, two stolen bases, and one run scored. Batting out of the seven-hole, Frontale slugged a pair of doubles with one run and one RBI. Michael Millross '24 was ninth in the lineup but had a team-high two RBIs.

Tied at 1-all, Canton loaded the bases twice in the fourth. With no outs, Kevin Kapfer poked a two-run hit into left to break the stalemate. An error allowed the 'Roos to reload the bases with only one out, but starting pitcher Angus Adams '22 got the ground balls he needed to escape the inning without further damage.

Millross doubled and drove in two runs to even the score at 3-3 in the home half of the fourth. Hake added a bunt single and swiped second base, but he and Millross were left stranded in scoring position to end the frame.

Down 5-3 in the fifth, the Soaring Eagles plated a two-out run on Frontale's second two-bagger of the afternoon to trim the deficit to one. However, Canton drove in two more in the sixth, and Danny Vargas shut the door with a pair of hitless innings out of the bullpen.

SUNY Canton 4, Elmira 1
Like the first game, both teams lit up the scoreboard with a run in the first. Elmira's Colin McLaughlin '22 drew a walk, swiped second on a pitch in the dirt, and eventually scored on a Mark Ryan '21 RBI single to keep the game level at 1-1.

A three-spot in the fourth by Canton marked the game's only other runs. The inning was fueled by two errant throws by the EC defense, and all three runs allowed by righty Kyle Tubbs '22 in the frame were unearned.

Down 4-1, the Purple and Gold had runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings and were simply looking for the right hit at the right time against Canton's bullpen arms. Reliever Zach Miner, who struggled to command his fastball, nearly cost his team the win because of his inaccuracy. In the sixth alone, he walked two and hit two more, but Miner picked Myles Littlejohn '24 off second base, struck out Frontale, and got Millross ground out harmlessly for the final out.

Miner hit one more Soaring Eagle in the seventh, but a hard-hit ball off McLaughlin's bat turned into a line-drive double play, as Canton outfielder Chris McVannan gunned down Joe Morrone '22 before he could tag-up at first.

News and Notes

• Frontale, Hake, and Ryan each had two hits for the Soaring Eagles on Thursday.
• Hake and Ryan batted 2-for-6 (.333), while Frontale finished the day 2-for-7 (.286) with two doubles.
• Elmira batters were walked 10 times by Canton's pitchers, which boosted the team's on-base percentage to .359 against the 'Roos.
• On the other hand, EC only walked three Canton hitters.
• EC made the most of its hits, as the team held a 4-to-1 advantage in extra-base hits.
• Adams led all Elmira pitchers on Thursday with 5.0 innings of work and two strikeouts.
• Tubbs started the late contest and only allowed one earned run in 4.2 innings.
• David Kruis '23, who has spent the spring on the men's basketball team, made his 2021 debut in the nightcap. Kruis was nearly perfect, allowing just one hit in 2.1 innings.

Up Next
The same two teams will be back in action on Saturday, March 27, at historic Dunn Field. Elmira and SUNY Canton will play another doubleheader, with the matinee beginning with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.