HOUGHTON, N.Y. – The Elmira College baseball program came up short twice on Friday afternoon as the Soaring Eagles opened Empire 8 Conference action with a doubleheader against the Houghton Highlanders. The Highlanders were victorious 6-3 in game one and 11-5 in game two of the twin bill.
GAME INFORMATION:
SCORE: Elmira 3, Houghton 6 (Game One)
Elmira 5, Houghton 11 (Game Two)
TEAM RECORDS: Elmira (2-11, 0-2 Empire 8), Houghton (7-8, 2-0 Empire 8)
LOCATION: Houghton, New York | Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex
W|L|S: H. Kendall (W, 2-2) | J. Podest (L, 0-1) | None (Game One)
E. Cetton (W, 1-2) | J. Finnerty (L, 0-3) | None (Game Two)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Houghton would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning against Elmira starter
Jarek Podest '26 following a double to center field that plated a runner. The Highlanders would add to their lead with three runs in the bottom of the third inning to push the advantage to 4-0.
The Soaring Eagles plated their first run of the contest in the top of the fourth inning as a double from
Jourdan Plaisted '21 allowed
Brett Warden '25 to score and trim the deficit to 4-1. Houghton would answer in the bottom of the frame with a run-scoring single to push its lead to 5-1.
Kade Cochran '26 would connect on his first collegiate home run for the Purple & Gold in the fifth inning as his solo shot made it 5-2.
Houghton regained a four-run advantage in the bottom of the fourth inning before Elmira answered with a run in the top of the sixth inning. It would be Plaisted coming through again for the Soaring Eagles as his single to left field allowed Warden to score and trim the deficit to 6-3.
Podest suffered his first loss of the season on the bump for Elmira after yielding five runs (four earned) off seven hits through 3.2 innings of work. Podest added five strikeouts to go with a pair of walks, while
Matthew Schultz '26 tossed the final 2.1 innings and yielded one run off three hits for Elmira.
Elmira would open the scoring in the top of the first inning of game two as Plaisted picked up right where he left off earlier in the day with a run-scoring single that allowed Warden to score and make it 1-0. The Highlanders had an answer in the bottom of the frame as a pair of run-scoring hits to the outfield allowed Houghton to gain a 2-1 advantage.
The Soaring Eagles rallied in the top of the third inning as
Marco Macri '26 delivered a two-run double to right field that plated
Matteo Salvati '25 and Warden to give EC a 3-2 lead on the scoreboard. Elmira would hold the lead until the Highlanders rallied for six runs in the fourth inning to gain an 8-3 advantage.
Houghton would add runs in the fifth and sixth frames to extend its lead over the Soaring Eagles before Elmira tallied the final runs of the contest in the seventh inning. Cochran would score from third to trim the deficit to 11-4 as the Highlanders would be unable to turn a double play. Warden would score from third later in the frame following a passed ball to make it 11-5.
Elmira starter
Jack Finnerty '23 suffered the loss on the mound after allowing six runs off six hits through 3.1 innings of work for the Soaring Eagles. In relief,
Kyle Tubbs '22 allowed five runs through 2.2 innings, while
David Kruis '23 and Cochran closed the contest with a pair of scoreless frames for Elmira.
UP NEXT:
The Soaring Eagles and Highlanders will wrap up their three-game series on Monday at Houghton with a 9-inning contest scheduled to begin at 4:00 P.M. Elmira then heads to Marywood University on Tuesday for a 9-inning contest beginning at 3:30 P.M.
