ELMIRA, N.Y. -- For the second time this season, the Elmira College baseball team walked off at historic Dunn Field, as a grounder up the middle off the bat of Dylan Bellinger '17 drove in the winning run to lift the Soaring Eagles over the Wells College Express, 3-2, on Wednesday night.

After giving up an unearned run in the top of the ninth inning, which knotted the score at 2-2, freshman Sam Plaugher '20 led off the home half of the frame with a soft liner into shallow center field on a full-count pitch. The rookie shortstop moved to second when Wells' Greyson Avots sailed a pitch over his catcher to the backstop. Plaugher then took third base on a Conor Bawiec '18 groundout, putting the winning run just 90-feet away with two outs for EC's No. 3 hitter.

Bellinger, the program's all-time hits leader and a graduate of nearby Thomas A. Edison High School, came up with yet another clutch base knock, as the two-time Empire 8 All-Conference honoree sealed the victory with a seeing-eye single past the pitcher's mound and through into center field, allowing Plaugher to trot home with ease.

The walk-off victory was a thrilling finish to a solid performance pieced together by the Elmira pitching staff. Although he did not factor in the decision, Joe Kidd '18 tossed his second consecutive quality start for the Purple and Gold. Kidd needed just 76 pitches to get through 6.0 innings, having surrendered just one run on two hits while striking out a game-high four. Following Kidd on the mound, lefties Anthony Colegrove '18 and Andy Reed '19, as well as senior right-hander Joe Marigliano '17 combined for 2.1 perfect relief innings.

Nick Sampogna '18 received the win, his second of the season, but had to work his way out of a jam to do so. With one out in the top of the ninth, Dylan Nolan reached base for Wells when a throw from second baseman Jansen Crossley '20 pulled Bellinger off of the bag at first. A bad-hop base hit with two outs then gave the Express runners on the corners, and a wild pitch allowed Dunkel to draw the game even at 2-all. Sampogna fanned Mike Diehr to end the inning, stranding what could have been the go-ahead run at third base.

Turning Point
Getting the lead-off runner on base is more often than not the best way to produce runs. Plaugher, in just his second career start, waited for the perfect time to produce his only hit of the game, as the Lansdale, Pennsylvania, native lined a 3-2 pitch through the infield to spark the late rally.

In Their Own Words…
Head Coach Corey Paluga on the effort of the Elmira pitchers…
"In the past few games our pitching staff has struggled, but Joe Kidd threw an excellent game. He's been very consistent for us this year, and he is someone that we have a lot of confidence in right now because he has shown that he can get the job done. We talk to our pitchers a lot about velocity not being the most important thing; the most important thing is can you keep hitters off balance, can you get outs, and can you string some zeroes together defensively."

Coach Paluga on Sam Plaugher's lead-off hit in the ninth…
"It's extremely important. I made that comment to Sam when he was at third base. In a tie ballgame like that, you put a lot of pressure on the defense, you allow us as a team to do a variety of things, whether we try to bunt him over or steal or hit-and-run. Thankfully we were able to advance on a wild pitch. Anytime you can get the lead-off guy on in games like that, you're setting yourself up for more success."

Coach Paluga on having Dylan Bellinger at the plate for the two-out at-bat in the ninth…
"He would certainly be my first choice in that situation. It's been nice that we've had various guys throughout this season who have stepped up to help us win, and it's certainly not surprising coming from him in that situation. To keep it simple and hit a hard ground ball through the infield, I thought it was very good focus on his part at the plate."

Coach Paluga when asked about facing and overcoming adversity in games like Wednesday's walk-off…
"We've been on both ends of them; we've a part of walk-off losses and we've been a part of walk-off wins. Through the first 13 games, to have that type of game experience already should be an asset as we move forward, and will hopefully build a little bit of confidence and a little bit of comradery as we head into a tough opponent in Ithaca this weekend."

Inside the Box Score

• Elmira outhit Wells, 13-3, but the Soaring Eagles stranded nine runners on base.
• Bawiec and Bellinger each finished 3-for-5 to lead EC's batters.
• Bellinger and Plaugher each drove in one run.
• Dennis Rudolph '18 also had a multi-hit day, going 2-for-4.
• Kidd gave up one run on two hits in 6.0 innings of work.
• He walked three and struck out a game-high four.
• Marigliano led Elmira's relievers with 1.2 innings out of the bullpen.
• Both of Sampogna's outs record in the ninth came via strikeouts.
• Dunkel, Brandon Shirley, and Justin Forster each had one hit for the Express.
• Wells reliever Jared Strait led all Express pitchers with 3.0 innings of work.
• Strait fanned three while giving up just three hits.
• Avots took the loss after allowing one run on four hits in 1.2 innings.

News and Notes

• Elmira is now 6-7 on the season and 3-1 at Dunn Field in 2017.
• The walk-off victory is the second of the year for the Soaring Eagles, with the other coming on March 25 in a 6-5 win over Utica College.
• EC is now 2-1 all-time against Wells.
• Bellinger has recorded three hits in four of his last six games, increasing his batting average to a team-high .447.
• Fogarty's on-base streak was extended to eight consecutive games, the longest active on-base streak on the team.
• Marigliano made his 2017 debut on Wednesday with 1.2 perfect relief innings.
• Colegrove has begun his junior campaign with 1.2 scoreless innings after missing all of 2016 due to injury.

Up Next
The Soaring Eagles will conclude their five-game homestand with a three-game series against Ithaca College this weekend, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 8. The Empire 8 twin bill is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start at Dunn Field.