The Elizabethtown College baseball team kicked off their season this past weekend with a doubleheader against the strong Bridgewater College team.

The Blue Jays lost both games, but the outcome of this series cannot be determined by the scoreboard. Bridgewater had already played five games before the matchup, while it was the first time the Blue Jays were able to get onto the field.

Due to weather and field conditions, the team had not had the opportunity to practice on the field and instead had to practice inside or on the turf field outside of the Bowers Center for Sports, Fitness and Well-being. Compare that to Bridgewater having lots of practice time on the field, and even playing five games, and it was not a fair matchup from the start.

The first game got off to a rough start, as the Blue Jays gave up three unearned runs in the first three innings. The bats were cold and going into the seventh inning the score was 9-1. Etown started to stage a comeback and put up five runs in the last three innings, but it was not enough, and the team fell 11-6.

The second game finished with a score much closer. Junior Nick Ortega was the starting pitcher and threw for five innings, giving up two runs. The Blue Jays bats were not as hot as the first game, only putting up two total runs and in the end losing 4-2.

“We have high hopes for the team this year. With most of the team from last year returning and some good new talent we’re looking to get back to the Landmark Championship series and win this year,” Ortega said after the game.

The Blue Jays were close to winning the Landmark Championship last year, losing to The University of Scranton in the final game. This year could be different, and it seems the team feels that it will be.

The Blue Jays will travel to Georgia and Florida over spring break to play a total of eight games.