CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Elmira College baseball program suffered a pair of setbacks on Sunday afternoon as the Soaring Eagles dropped an Empire 8 Conference twin bill against Utica University, 17-1 and 17-7, at the Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex in Cortland.
 

GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE: Elmira 1, Utica 17 (Game One)
               Elmira 7, Utica 17 (Game Two) (8 Innings)
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (9-19-1, 5-10-1 Empire 8), Utica (15-12, 8-6 Empire 8)
LOCATION: Cortland, New York | Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex
W|L|S: Ryan Cardone (3-1) | David Kruis (1-1) | None
            Ben Hladun (2-0) | Liam Wedge (0-1) | None


KEY MOMENT:
Matteo Salvati '25 was responsible for Elmira's lone run in game one with a run-scoring hit in the fifth inning.

Michael Millross '24 worked a scoreless fifth and sixth inning out of the bullpen in game one for the Soaring Eagles.

Mason Ryan '22 highlighted a four-run second inning in game two for Elmira with a two-run single.

Bryan Jimenez '25 recorded his first collegiate hit for the Soaring Eagles in the bottom of the eighth inning of game two.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Utica would score at least two runs in each of the first four innings of game one against the Soaring Eagles. The Pioneers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and extended the lead to 5-0 in the second.

Trailing 12-0 entering the bottom of the fifth inning in game one, Brett Warden '25 opened things for the Soaring Eagles with a single to center. Warden would later advance to second following a wild pitch and later to third after an infield single from Colin McLaughlin '22. Elmira would plate a run as Salvati delivered a single to right field, which allowed Warden to score.

Out of the bullpen for Elmira, Millross tossed a pair of scoreless innings with a 1-2-3 fifth inning along with an inning-ending 6-4-3 double play in the sixth. Utica added to its lead late in the contest as the Pioneers plated five runs in the top of the seventh inning to make it 17-1.

Elmira showed signs of early life in game two against the Pioneers as the Soaring Eagles would take a 6-1 lead heading into the fifth inning. Joe Morrone '22 opened the scoring for the Purple & Gold with a single that allowed Ryan to score. It would be Ryan that started a four-run second inning for Elmira with a single that plated Jarod Signorelli '23 and Luke Frontale '22 to make it 3-0.

The inning continued as EC increased the advantage to 4-0 following another run-scoring hit from Morrone followed by a single from Warden that allowed Jared Money '22 to score and make it 5-0. Utica would trim the deficit to 5-1 with a run in the top of the third inning.

Jacob Parker '24 would give the Soaring Eagles a 6-1 lead in the bottom of the third with a single back up the middle that allowed Nick Lees '25 to score. Both teams would go scoreless in the fourth inning.

The Momentum of the game turned in the top of the fifth inning as Utica erupted for seven runs against Elmira pitching to take an 8-6 advantage after being limited to just one hit through the first four innings. The Pioneers added to their lead with eight more runs in the top of the sixth inning to make it 16-7.

McLaughlin provided the final run of the contest for Elmira in the fifth inning as his single through the left side allowed Warden to score for the Soaring Eagles. The Pioneers would end the contest after eight innings of play by scoring a run to make it 17-7 and keeping Elmira off of the scoreboard in the bottom of the frame.
 

STATS:
Warden paced the Soaring Eagles at the plate by finishing 2-for-3 with a run scored in game one.

Frontale and Ryan each tallied three hits in game two for Elmira, while Morrone and Ryan were each responsible for two RBIs at the plate.

Ryan finished game two 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored out of the leadoff spot for Elmira.

Carter Wisely '25, Justin Hyde '25, and Jack Finnerty '23 combined to hold Utica to just one hit and one run through four innings on the mound for the Soaring Eagles.
 

UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles are scheduled to return to the diamond with a home-and-home series against Wells College on April 27 and April 28. Elmira is slated to host the Express on Wednesday at Corning Community College beginning at 4:00 p.m.