ELMIRA, N.Y. -- Following the graduation of Elmira College's first class of four-year letterwinners last summer, the Elmira College baseball team prepares for a 2019 campaign filled with opportunity and optimism. The fifth-year program will crack open the new season with a three-game series at Greensboro, beginning with a doubleheader on Sunday, February 17.

Elmira's Class of 2018 spent four years laying a successful foundation for future generations of Soaring Eagles to build upon. However, without the likes of four-year starters such as Conor Bawiec '18, Bryce Plante '18, Dennis Rudolph '18, and Nick Sampogna '18, there will be ample opportunity for new faces to pencil their names throughout the lineup. Only two returning field players – first baseman Tommy Fogarty '20 and middle infielder Sam Plaugher '20 – started 20-or-more contests last spring. As a result, competitions for several positions are heating up in Upstate New York's wintry preseason weather.

"Competition is something that we talk a lot about as part of our team philosophy," said fifth-year head coach Corey Paluga. "We want guys competing every day at practice, and we want guys competing for opportunities. Regardless of being a freshman or a senior, regardless of how many at-bats or innings pitched you've seen in the past, it's all about the present."

The Soaring Eagles will look for relief from Mother Nature when they flock south for their annual season-opening trip. This year, the week-long excursion begins and ends in the Tar Heel State with eight games from February 17-23 against North Carolina-based institutions. The bus doesn't stop there; EC's next 10 games are also on the road, with trips to Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rochester, New York. Although Elmira performed at its best at historic Dunn Field last season, Paluga hopes to see the Purple and Gold persevere through the lengthy road stand.

"We're trying to play a competitive non-conference schedule to prepare us for the competitive nature of the Empire 8," Paluga said. "Yes, we're trying to win every game that we play, but just because we lose one game, just because you lose a second game, or maybe even a third game in a row doesn't mean that the wheels are falling off. A lot of that goes with understanding and trusting the process, and a certain level of mental toughness. It's not always going to be easy."

Infield
Fogarty is the most experienced position player on Elmira's roster this spring, having made 64 starts during his freshman and sophomore seasons. The third-year first baseman possesses a career batting average just a tick below .300 (.298) and was EC's leader in runs batted in as a sophomore (28). As a junior, the Wayne, Pennsylvania, native will be leaned on for consistent production in the heart of the order.

"His leadership has been great," said Paluga. "His level of maturity and even-mindedness will pay dividends, knowing that at any given time we could have two, three, or four freshmen in the lineup. He's a person that we as a coaching staff and his peers trust."

Early favorites to accompany Fogarty at second and third base are Plaugher and Joey Florio '20, respectively. Plaugher broke through to earn the starting job at the keystone as a sophomore, making 25 starts there and appearing mostly in the lead-off spot. He's fleet-footed and patient at the dish – Plaugher led the team with 21 walks a year ago – and he's a top candidate to resume his role at second or slide over to shortstop.

Florio's defense gives him a leg up on the competition at the hot corner. In a platoon role during his freshman and sophomore seasons, the Montgomery, New York, native flashed the leather on multiple occasions. If Florio's bat can catch up to his glove, he will see the lion's share of innings at third base this year.

Brothers Mark Ryan '21 and Mason Ryan '22 are both vying for significant playing time as well. Mark is a natural second baseman, while younger brother Mason is better suited for short. The former was utilized at all both positions, as well as third base, and hit at a .241 clip (7-of-29) in his debut season. Mason joins the Purple and Gold after receiving Class A All-New York State honors during his senior year at nearby Union-Endicott High School. With neither middle infield position set in stone, there's a chance Elmira fans could see both brothers in the lineup when the season kicks off.

"I think the competition amongst themselves is what you would expect from brothers," Paluga said. "That's what is fun about having them, they know how to push each other in a different way other than being teammates. It brings a special dynamic."

Behind the plate, Paluga has several options, all of whom would become full-time starters for the first time. Second-year man Jourdan Plaisted '21 is coming off of a big summer season, during which he helped the Lake Monsters win an Interstate Collegiate Baseball League (ICBL) title and backstopped Rayson-Miller Post #899 to a runner-up finish at the New York State American Legion Championships.

"For Jourdan to play significantly on two different teams with the number of at-bats and innings caught during the summer, it is certainly helping his transition into someone who is expected to carry a heavy load behind the plate," Paluga said.

Senior catcher Jack Donnelly '19 has been limited due to injury, but now healthy, the Cooperstown, New York, native has an opportunity to play a leadership role on and off of the field.

Four additional freshmen will provide depth throughout the infield. At 6-foot-3, 200-pounds, Joe Morrone '22 will back up Fogarty at first. Middle infielder Jared Money '22, a product of Templeton, California, traveled from coast-to-coast to suit up for Elmira after helping his Templeton High School Eagles win a Los Padres League title as a senior. Max Nolter '22, a two-year starter at Marian Catholic High School in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is an option at both first base and catcher. Also behind the plate is Luke Frontale'22, a Section III All-Star from Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, New York.

Outfield
Similar to the infield, Elmira has a few returning letterwinners seeking expanded roles in the outfield and a handful of newcomers bidding for time. In center field, Jack Volpe '20 looks to fill a void left behind by Dennis Rudolph '18, who was arguably EC's best all-around player in 2018. They are large shoes to fill, but Volpe projects well with a solid 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, and he has the wheels to swipe bags and cover the expansive outfield at historic Dunn Field.

"Very good tools and easily one of the hardest-working individuals off of the field that we have on the team," said Paluga when asked about Volpe. "We expect him to be a big part of what we're going to do this year as a team."

The corners will be covered by Harrison Zambarano '19 and Jansen Crossley '20. Zambarano may have found a new home in left, while Crossley has shifted his priorities from second base to right field. A Johnston, Rhode Island, native, Zambarano came on strong at the end of 2018, hitting an impressive .407 while starting eight of Elmira's last 10 games. Crossley has slashed .273/.346/.356 in 139 at-bats across his first two years at EC. A move out of the crowded infield to the outfield could be exactly what the Vancouver, British Columbia, product needs to flourish as an everyday player.

"With both of those guys moving from the infield to the outfield, it had more to do with finding opportunities to keep their bats in the lineup," noted Paluga.

Shane Hake '21, a second-year outfielder from Ontario, New York, has the tools to fill in where necessary at all three positions. Hake had hits in two of his three starts in his debut campaign, and he was used multiple times as a defensive replacement or pinch runner.

New to this year's convocation of Soaring Eagles are rookie outfielders Angus Adams '22, James Delaney '22, Jack Thomas '22, and Colin McLaughlin '22. Adams is the latest Canadian export to join the EC baseball program. The well-decorated Ottawan formerly played in the famed Little League World Series for Team Canada. Thomas, another All-State honoree from Union-Endicott High School, possesses the utility to man the outfield and catch for the Soaring Eagles.

"What's exciting about this freshman class as a whole is that it's not just one or two freshmen from our 13-man class that are going to see playing time, but it's four, five, six or maybe even seven of the first-year guys who are, in some capacity, going to see playing time," Paluga explained.

Pitching
The Soaring Eagles graduated three key pieces from the rotation in Conor Bawiec '18, Joe Kidd '18, and Nick Sampogna '18, three of the program's top four in innings pitched since the inaugural 2015 season. From last season alone, the trio was responsible for more than 111 innings on the mound. As noted by Paluga, the success of their successors could very well decide how far the team goes in 2019.

A new rotation will be headlined by veterans Nick Cottone '19 and Andy Reed '19, who bring two very different styles to the mound. A hard-throwing, 6-foot-5-inch righty, Cottone became a starter for the first time last spring. He made eight starts and posted numerous career bests, including innings pitched (40.0), strikeouts (38), and opposing batting average (.269).

"Nicks wants the ball in his hand," Paluga stated. "He wants to be the guy that everybody looks to. He has that fire to him. We're excited to see how he continues to develop."

On the other hand, Reed has been a reliable southpaw who's twirled no fewer than 45.1 innings in each of his first three seasons with the Purple and Gold. His best performances have been out of the bullpen, but his emergence as a top-two starter will be vital in his final go-round.

"He understands who he is as a pitcher, his strengths and the areas he needs to improve," said Paluga about Reed. "He is going to have every opportunity going into North Carolina to show us that he can get it done in the starting role."

The Class of 2020 – Corey DeMauro '20, Garinder Singh Sarana '20, and Zach Williamson '20 – will be asked to shoulder a much larger role on the pitching staff this spring. Right-handers Sarana and Williamson are both in contention to start on the mound. Sarana, an imposing 6-foot-6-inch flamethrower, started for the first time during the Purple & Gold World Series in the fall and impressed the coaches. Williamson also stands tall at 6-foot-4-inches. He finished third among returning pitchers with 29.0 innings, highlighted by an admirable start in an early-April blizzard at Ithaca.

"'G' has some of the best stuff on the team," Paluga exclaimed. "His transition to a starting role is an exciting one because of his stuff and his potential. And Zach has pitched conference games for us, so we know what he's capable of. If he can show that he can take the next step in his development, then that No. 3 spot could be an exciting competition among them."

Paluga also noted that second-year right-handers Taber Carter '21 and Alex Crysler '21 have the potential to start, but will otherwise form a core of relievers alongside Blake Phelps '19 and Mason Weir '21.

Elmira's bench boss also has a slew of fresh talent to help comprise mid- and late-inning options out of the 'pen. They include the aforementioned Adams, Connor Trower '22, and Kyle Tubbs '22 from the right side, plus lefty Declan Driscoll '22.

"I think Angus, Connor, and Kyle have been very open-minded with some of the things that we are trying to get them to understand, so they've continued to develop and grow," Paluga said. "For a first-year player, that's certainly important for them in the transition from high school pitcher to college pitcher."

Season Opener
When the Soaring Eagles migrate south, they'll make their first stop in Greensboro, North Carolina, for a three-game series with the Greensboro Pride. Members of the USA South Athletic Conference, the Pride went 18-19 a year ago with a relatively young squad. Back for Greensboro are two-thirds of the starting rotation in right-hander Will Hicks and lefty Tyler Garam, and the team's three best hitters: middle infielder Hunter Curtis, catcher Scotty McGuire, and outfielder Blake Carroll. McGuire, a third-year catcher, was the lone member of the Pride to receive All-USA South recognition last year, as he batted .324 with 17 RBIs.

Greensboro is one of seven teams on the 2019 schedule that Elmira will face for the first time. The Soaring Eagles and Pride will play twice on Sunday, February 17, beginning at 12:00 p.m. On Monday, February 18, the two sides will conclude the non-conference series at 2:00 p.m. All three games will be played at Greensboro's home ballpark, Ted Leonard Park.