Ithaca Clinches Empire 8 Regular Season Title With Sweep
ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca softball team (22-11, 10-0 Empire 8) defeated Alfred (24-10, 5-3 Empire 8) by a 2-0 score in the first game of a doubleheader Wednesday and completed the sweep with an 8-1 win in the second game. The Bombers, at 10-0 in the Empire 8, clinched the regular-season title and will host the Empire 8 Tournament May 4-6 at Kostrinsky Field.
Ithaca 2, Alfred 0 |
Box Score
The Bombers scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings and the pitching tandem of sophomores Sam Bender and Jillian Olmstead combined on a three-hit shutout. Bender started the game, went five innings, and improved to 10-5 on the season. She worked out of trouble in the fourth inning, when Alfred loaded the bases with one out, but Bender struck out the next two hitters to keep the game scoreless. Ithaca took the lead in the bottom of the inning when sophomore second baseman Julianne Vincent reached on an error and came in to score on an RBI groundout by junior outfielder Adrienne Walters.
Ithaca tacked on another run in the sixth when Vincent doubled, junior catcher Lindsey Johnson singled, and Walters bunted home Vincent from third base. Olmstead pitched the final two innings and picked up her fifth save of the season, which ranks in the top-10 among all NCAA Division III pitchers.
Ithaca 8, Alfred 1 |
Box Score
The Bombers scored six times in the first and went on to the win. Sophomore Rachel Dell’Orto led off with a double and moved to third on a single by freshman Francesca Busa. Busa then stole second and Dell’Orto came home on a throwing error to plate the first run. Singles by juniors Jennifer Biondi and Molly O’Donnell loaded the bases and sophomore Julianne Vincent’s single to right scored two runs. Freshman Monica Capolongo later added a two-run double and junior Adrienne Walters capped the first-inning outburst with an RBI triple.
Ithaca tacked on another run in the third inning on an RBI groundout by Walters and Busa led off the fourth with her first home run of the season. The Bombers totaled 13 hits in the game, led by a 3-for-4 performance by Vincent. Dell’Orto, Busa and O’Donnell each added two hits and eight of the Bombers’ nine batters recorded at least one. Olmstead went the distance to improve to 12-6 and record her fifth complete-game of the season. She allowed six hits, struck out four, and walked none.