Elmira College softball sweeps Nazareth, Soaring Eagles baseball falls short against Utica
HORSEHEADS, N.Y. (WETM) – Elmira College softball sweeps Nazareth for a special senior day.
Elmira College softball and baseball combined for a 2-1 record for senior day, on Saturday. The Soaring Eagles swept Nazareth in softball with 2 impressive victories and a new program record. In game 1, Elmira rallied back to beat the Golden Flyers 4-3. Nazareth led the game 2-0, until the Soaring Eagles plated 4 runs in the 5th and 6th innings. Elmira College picked up just 4 hits in the game, but took the win on a 2-RBI single (double on error) from Hannah Colwill, and another RBI from Jocelyn Jean.
In the 2nd game, both offenses exploded out of the gates. Elmira scored 8 runs in the 1st inning, before the Golden Flyers cut the lead to 1 in 2nd. In the 3rd, Brianna Ramstine plated another run for EC, which would be answered by Nazareth in the 4th. With the teams knotted at 9 in the 5th, the Soaring Eagles offense would show up once again. Ramstine opened the frame with a single and crossed the plate on an RBI-double from Kaitlyn Belmont. Madison Brown-Bloom followed up by scoring Belmont and adding her name to the EC history books. Brown-Bloom’s RBI-single tied her with Katrina Katen (2009), for the most career RBI (69) in program history. Natalie Tom added the final run of the day, on an RBI-single. The big 5th inning sealed the 12-9 win for the Soaring Eagles.
Elmira College will look for their 4th and 5th consecutive wins in a Sunday doubleheader at Alfred University. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
On the baseball diamond, Elmira College dropped a 10-9 heartbreaker to Utica in 9 innings. When the Soaring Eagles and Pioneers arrived to the Holding Point Complex on Saturday, the teams expected to play a doubleheader, but mother nature had other plans. Inclement weather changed the scheduled doubleheader to a single 9-inning contest, in which both teams responded by packing the scoreboard. Utica’s Andrew Salbi opened the scoring in the 2nd inning, with a home run. The solo blast was followed by 4 more Pioneer runs through 5 innings. Elmira College responded with a collection RBI from Nathan Ofalt, Brett Warden, Gabe Fellows, and Connor Stone in the 5th and 7th innings. In the 8th, Lance Berger would push Utica’s lead to 6-4 with a solo home run. The Pioneers would add on to their lead with 4 more runs in the top of the 9th.
In the bottom of the 9th, EC chipped away at Utica’s lead with a late rally. Brady Buttice started the scoring on an RBI-single. In the next at bat, Ofalt blasted a 3-run homer to close the deficit to 10-8. Warden followed up with a single and scored an unearned run on a throwing error. With Elmira’s Erik Charnetski on base, Matteo Salvati grounded out to end the game 10-9.
Elmira College’s effort at the plate was powered by perfect performances from Buttice and Xander Canfield. Canfield went 3 for 3 with 2 runs and 2 walks. Buttice went 2 for 2 with 2 runs and an RBI.
The Soaring Eagles will look to snap a 7-game losing skid, on Sunday. EC hosts Utica for a doubleheader, which is slated to begin at noon.
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