Ithaca Advances To NCAA Regional Final With 4-3 Win Over Oneonta
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team defeated Oneonta Saturday afternoon, dropping the Red Dragons by a score of 4-3 in the Bombers' third game of the NCAA Ithaca Regional. The win earns Ithaca the right to play Rowan in the regional final and improves the Bombers' record to 26-13 overall. The loss drops Oneonta to 30-11 on the season.
Senior
Sam Bender picked up the win to improve her record to 18-6 in the circle. She allowed just two earned runs and struck out four in the complete game effort. Sophomore
Kelly Robichaud paced the Bombers with two hits in four at bats. Senior
Julianne Vincent was 1-for-3 with a RBI and senior
Rachel Dell'Orto was 1-for-3 with two runs batted in.
Ithaca jumped out on top in the opening frame, crossing home plate once on two hits to go up, 1-0. With two outs, sophomore
Casey Gavin sent a single through the right side of the infield to get on base. In the following at bat, Robichaud hit a bouncing single toward the first base side. Robichaud reached safely on the play, and an Oneonta throwing error allowed Gavin to score all the way from first.
The Red Dragons responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the first to take the 2-1 lead. A bases-loaded walk brought in the first Oneonta run, before a bloop single to the right side brought in the second. With the bases still loaded the Bombers pulled a 4-2-6 double play, getting a runner out at home on a force before tagging a runner out at second. A Bender strikeout closed the inning, getting Ithaca out of the jam.
With two outs in the third frame and runners at second and third, senior
Rachel Dell'Orto singled up the middle. Dell'Orto's hit brought in two runs, putting the Bombers up by a score of 3-2.
Oneonta tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, as the Red Dragons hit a solo home run to left field to even the contest at 3-3.
Ithaca pulled ahead in the final inning, as the Bombers on one hit and one Oneonta error. With runners at the corners and one out, Vincent hit a sacrifice bunt back towards the pitcher. The bunt scored the runner from third, putting Ithaca ahead by a score of 4-3.
Ithaca held the Red Dragons scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, advancing the Bombers to the regional final. First pitch against Rowan is scheduled for 12 p.m.