WAYNESBURG, Pa. – The Elmira College baseball team traveled to Waynesburg, Pennsylvania for a doubleheader with the Yellow Jackets of Waynesburg University on Saturday afternoon. The Soaring Eagles used a late comeback in game two to help complete the sweep of the Yellow Jackets, 4-3 and 7-6.
 
GAME ONE: Soaring Eagles Offense gets Going Early, Pitching Holds on for Win
The Soaring Eagles offense got off to a strong start to open the season. Kaden Bolt opened with a single up the middle and then proceeded to steal both second and third. Bolt came into score on an error by the Yellow Jackets and EC took a 1-0 lead. The first inning momentum was killed on a double-play groundball that ended the inning. The Yellow Jackets tied up the game in the bottom of the first on an RBI single through the right side. Bobby Cavalier started the second inning with a base hit. The Soaring Eagles loaded the bases after Bolt got hit by a pitch. Xander Canfield doubled to center field, driving home all three base runners and giving the Soaring Eagles a 4-1 advantage. Alan Plummer was on the mound for the Soaring Eagles, getting into a few jams, but escaping them as the innings moved on. The Yellow Jackets got runners in scoring position in the third and fourth innings but could not push a run across against Plummer. The offense had a base runner in the fifth inning, but nothing came of it as Elmira held a 4-1 advantage going into the bottom of the fifth.
 
The Yellow Jackets got another run back in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single, making the score 4-2. Matthew Schultz entered the game to pitch for EC and escaped a jam to keep the score where it was. Waynesburg scored another run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly, that made the score 4-3. Brady Buttice got into scoring position after stealing second base in the eighth inning, but Elmira could not bring him around to score. Nicholas Miller came into pitch for the Soaring Eagles, pitching a clean seventh and eighth, sending EC to the ninth with a narrow 4-3 advantage. The Yellow Jackets offense loaded the bases down by one run with two outs in the ninth inning, putting the pressure on both Miller and the Yellow Jacket batter. Miller picked up the clutch strikeout, ending the game, and giving the Soaring Eagles a 4-3 win in game one.
 
LEADERS
Offensively, Bolt led the way going 2-3 at the plate and scoring two runs. Buttice joined him with a pair of hits, going 2-4, and tallying one RBI. Canfield was 1-3 with the big bases clearing double, netting three RBIs for him.

Plummer pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing just 4 hits and recording two strikeouts. Miller shut it down out of the bullpen, pitching three innings, allowing no hits, tallying three strikeouts, and recording the save.
 
GAME TWO: Soaring Eagles Complete Late Comeback for Victory
The Offense started out strong again, with back-to-back singles by Bolt and CJ Wheaton. The Soaring Eagles struck first on a sacrifice fly by Canfield that brought Bolt into score. After Wheaton stole second, Buttice followed with a double down the left field line that drove home Wheaton to make it 2-0 EC. Connor Stone kept the momentum going and added to Elmira's advantage with an RBI double of his own, making it 3-0 in the top of the first. The Yellow Jackets got a couple runners on against Michael Polsinelli Jr. with two outs in the bottom of the inning. Back-to-back extra base hits brough home three runs for Waynesburg and tied up the game after one inning of play. The Yellow Jackets had a scoring opportunity in the third inning with two runners on and two outs, but Polsinelli got the batter to fly out and escape the jam. The score remained tied up at three after the third inning.

EC got Stone to third base after he started the fourth with a single but were unable to push him across to score. A two-out double from Wheaton gave another scoring chance in the fifth for EC. Once again, the runner was stranded and the score remained tied heading to the bottom of the fifth. The Jackets got two runners on in the bottom of the fifth but were also unable to push anything across. Waynesburg took the lead on an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. The Yellow Jackets added two more runs on a double to take a 6-3 advantage heading into the final inning of play. Sean Deaner got the rally started for the Soaring Eagles in the 7^th with a double. It was immediately followed by a single by Bolt. Wheaton continued the momentum with an RBI single to make the score 6-4. Buttice drew a clutch walk with the bases loaded to pick up another RBI and make the score 6-5. A fielder's choice on a groundball by Stone tied the game for EC in the final inning of play. Jordan Barthel came up with a clutch single through the right side to give Elmira the lead in the seventh and complete the comeback. Hunter Thompson came into pitch and closed it out, picking up a pair of strikeouts, and securing the victory for EC.

LEADERS
Wheaton led the way offensively, going 3-4, scoring two runs, and picking up an RBI. Buttice went 1-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs while Bolt went 2-4 with a pair of runs scored. Thompson came through clutch for the save, getting two strikeouts.

UP NEXT
The Soaring Eagles travel to Myrtle Beach, SC for the Ripken Experience. The first game is Monday, March 2^nd at 11 AM against the Knights of Neumann University.