Gavin’s Walk-off Lifts Ithaca Past Alfred, 3-2
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Box Score
ITHACA, NY – Alfred sophomore pitcher Kerri Keeler held Ithaca hitless through four innings before the Bombers eventually broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth when Nikkey Skuraton lined a two-out single into centerfield, which scored Annie Cooney to give Ithaca a 1-0 lead.
Facing a one-run deficit, the Saxons responded in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs on two hits to take a 2-1 lead. Junior third baseman Liz Thompson walked with one out and senior outfielder Samantha Jauregui reached on a bunt single. With runners in scoring position, Nicole Maher hit a ground ball to second and Thompson beat the throw home to score the tying run. Sophomore Haley Powers followed with a single to center to score Jauregui with the go-ahead run.
The Bombers had an answer, however, in the bottom half. Following an Allie Colleran popup to first base, Skuraton would make her way to first after being hit by a pitch and promptly stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. The next hitter, Vanessa Brown, lifted an RBI-double off the top of the right field that plated Skuraton and tied the contest at two runs apiece. After a fly out to right, Brown represented the winning run at third base with senior Casey Gavin at the dish. Alfred would throw two pitches before Gavin would smack a seeing-eye single just past Alfred’s middle infield to lift the Bombers to the one-run lead, 3-2.
Laura Quicker started in the circle for the Bombers but did not factor in the decision after going 3.0 innings and allowing four hits before being relieved by Allison Macari who earned her 12th win of the season (12-3). Macari tossed 4.0 innings and surrendered two runs on four hits. She struck out four in the win.
Keeler went the distance in taking the loss for Alfred, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out three.
Alfred out-hit the Bombers, 8-4, but stranded 10 runners. Thompson (double) and Jauregui were each 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Saxons, while Maher and Powers each drove in a run.
Alfred and Utica will play in an elimination game at 2 p.m. Friday, while Ithaca and Fisher will play at 11 a.m. on Saturday (moved due to inclement weather) for a berth to the title game.