Ithaca Clinches Eighth Consecutive Empire 8 Baseball Championship
April 21, 2008
From Ithaca College Sports Information Release
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – Ithaca College (23-8, 15-1) wrapped up its eighth straight Empire 8 title by sweeping a doubleheader at St. John Fisher Sunday, winning 7-1 and 3-2.
Senior Nick Sottung (Pulaski/Pulaski) pitched a complete game four-hitter in the opener, striking out five to improve to 8-0 on the season. Sottung, who lowered his ERA to 1.78, is 31-8 in his career; only 25 Division III pitchers have won more games.
Senior shortstop Josh Smith (Pulaski/Richfield) and senior first baseman Shane Wolf (Lansing/Freeville) both homered in the third inning as Ithaca jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Smith finished with three hits in the game and his two runs batted in raised his career total to 125 – 10th on Ithaca’s all-time list.
Freshman third baseman David Ahonen (Victor/Farmington) added three hits and junior catcher Drew Ash (Morris Knolls/Denville, N.J.) added two.
In the nightcap, the Bombers opened a 3-0 lead and withheld the Cardinals’ late rally. St. John Fisher pulled to within a run on a two-out RBI single that put the tying run on third but junior Bryan Gardner (Fairport/Fairport) picked the runner on first off to end the inning then retired the side without a hit in the seventh. Gardner struck out three in two innings to earn his sixth save of the season (one short of the program record).
Senior outfielder Rob Raux (Frankfort/Ilion) singled in a first-inning run and doubled in a run in the third; he finished the doubleheader with career totals to of 202 hits and 153 RBI’s. The fourth Bomber to reach 200 career hits, he’s second on Ithaca’s all-time lists in both categories.
Senior Nick Sottung (Pulaski/Pulaski) pitched a complete game four-hitter in the opener, striking out five to improve to 8-0 on the season. Sottung, who lowered his ERA to 1.78, is 31-8 in his career; only 25 Division III pitchers have won more games.
Senior shortstop Josh Smith (Pulaski/Richfield) and senior first baseman Shane Wolf (Lansing/Freeville) both homered in the third inning as Ithaca jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Smith finished with three hits in the game and his two runs batted in raised his career total to 125 – 10th on Ithaca’s all-time list.
Freshman third baseman David Ahonen (Victor/Farmington) added three hits and junior catcher Drew Ash (Morris Knolls/Denville, N.J.) added two.
In the nightcap, the Bombers opened a 3-0 lead and withheld the Cardinals’ late rally. St. John Fisher pulled to within a run on a two-out RBI single that put the tying run on third but junior Bryan Gardner (Fairport/Fairport) picked the runner on first off to end the inning then retired the side without a hit in the seventh. Gardner struck out three in two innings to earn his sixth save of the season (one short of the program record).
Senior outfielder Rob Raux (Frankfort/Ilion) singled in a first-inning run and doubled in a run in the third; he finished the doubleheader with career totals to of 202 hits and 153 RBI’s. The fourth Bomber to reach 200 career hits, he’s second on Ithaca’s all-time lists in both categories.
Freshman outfielder Shawn Moonan (Cicero-North Syracuse/Liverpool) added two hits. Sophomore Tom Fishback (Penfield/Webster) earned the win by allowing one run and five hits over five innings. He’s 4-0 this spring.