#23 Bombers Topple Oneonta For 13-9 Baseball Win
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team (12-4-1), ranked 23rd nationally, pounded out 17 hits to remain unbeaten at home this season, beating visiting Oneonta (10-10) 13-9 Wednesday.
The Bombers jumped out to a 7-0 lead after three innings then scored a pair of eighth-inning insurance runs after Oneonta had closed to within 11-9.
Senior center fielder Mike Rosenbaum and freshman Vinnie Gneo both had three hits as Ithaca recorded its ninth straight game with double-digit hits.
Sophomore catcher Corey Caswell had run-scoring hits in both Ithaca’s three-run second and four-run third to help the Bombers open their early lead.
Gneo’s RBI single highlighted Ithaca’s two-run rally in the eighth.
The win raised Ithaca’s series lead over the Red Dragons to 47-8; the Bombers have won seven of the last eight meetings and 28 of the 32 games played at Freeman Field.
Oneonta rallied for six runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to cut Ithaca’s lead to two runs. Two Ithaca errors in that span led to four of the runs being unearned. In the eighth, the Red Dragons scored twice without a hit. Oneonta loaded the bases on a hit batter and two walks (all three coming on full counts) and two runs came in on infield ground balls. The Bombers brought in senior closer Tucker Healy, who walked the first hitter he faced then retired four straight batters to earn his second save of the season.
Freshman John Prendergast, the first of four Bomber relievers, earned the win. He improved to 5-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.98, allowing one hit and an unearned run in 2.1 innings of work. He fanned three of the 10 batters he faced.
Every Bomber starter had a hit and every one either scored or drove in a run. Senior first baseman Mike Preite singled twice and drove in three runs while scoring two.
Gneo finished with three runs batted in and sophomore third baseman Colby Gee singled, doubled and scored three runs.
Caswell and sophomore shortstop Tim Locastro both had two hits and two runs batted in. Senior right fielder Teagen Barresi reached base three times; he and Gee were both hit by a pitch twice.