Ithaca Falls to Rowan in Game One of Super Regional
ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked Ithaca College softball fell to nationally 14th-ranked Rowan University, 1-0, on Friday afternoon in the opening game of a best-of-three series in the Super Regional Round of the NCAA Division III Softball Championship at Doris Kostrinsky Field. With the loss, Ithaca, which is ranked 16th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, fell to 35-9 overall while the Profs improved to 39-9. The two teams will square off again beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday. If the Bombers win that contest, a deciding game three will be played at 3 p.m.
Allison Macari was tagged with the loss and moved her season mark to 15-4 despite only surrendering one run on five hits over seven innings of work.
Offensively, the Bombers were limited to just four hits.
Kelly Robichaud was 1-for-1 with a double and two walks while
Hannah Anderson,
Alex Wright and
Nikkey Skuraton each collected a hit for the Bombers.
After a scoreless first inning of play, Macari dealt one over the plate in the top of the second that Rowan's Damariz Mercado deposited over the left field fence in what turned out to be the game-winning run.
Ithaca was poised to get its offense rolling in the bottom of the second as Robichaud led off the frame with a double to right, but Rowan's Beth Ann Hyland was able to hold the Bombers scoreless with three straight outs including a pair of strikeouts.
Ithaca had another scoring opportunity in the third inning after a single through the right side by Anderson followed by a sacrifice bunt from
Jessie Fleck. With a runner in scoring position and just one out, the Bombers again were unable to tie the game after back-to-back groundouts allowed the Profs to maintain their one-run advantage heading into the fourth inning.
Head coach
Deb Pallozzi's squad would strand a pair in the fourth inning and would not have another opportunity to score as Hyland put the finishing touches on a four-hit shutout.
In all, the Bombers left five on the base paths and struck out five times.