Ithaca Drops 5-1 Decision to No. 14 La Roche to Open Regional Play
ADRIAN, Mich. – The Ithaca College suffered a 5-1 loss to nationally ranked No. 14 La Roche College in Game Three of the NCAA Division III Adrian Regional at Nicolay Field in Adrian, Mich. in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Ithaca will move to the elimination bracket and will face the loser of Adrian and Otterbein tomorrow afternoon at 1:15 p.m. With the setback, Ithaca is now 28-16 on the season, while La Roche improves to 35-8-1.
Senior
Domenic Boresta led off the regional for Ithaca with a walk in the top of the first, but Ithaca was unable to do anything with the early runner.
La Roche took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the first on an RBI ground ball to short, which turned into an error. The Redhawks' leadoff runner stroked a double and then moved up to third on a groundout before coming home. La Roche had a chance to add more runs in the frame, but left the bases loaded.
The advantage grew to 2-0 for La Roche in the second as two Ithaca errors came back to haunt the Bombers.
IC cut its deficit in half in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly by junior
Webb Little. The Bombers loaded the bases with one out on walks to sophomore
Andrew Wollner and senior
Domenic Boresta, to go along with a hit by pitch to junior
Jake Generali, to set up the sac fly.
In the bottom of the third, La Roche tacked on two more runs on a two-out, two-run single up the middle. After a strikeout and fielder's choice, a base hit continued the inning. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position and scored on a single.
La Roche went up by four runs, 5-1, in the bottom of the fifth on a groundout. The Redhawks led off the frame with a walk and double to put the pressure on the Bomber defense. La Roche's next batter sent a potential base hit up the middle, but W. Little made a diving stop to minimize the damage and only allowed one run to score.
Ithaca put together scoring opportunities in its next three at bats, but were never able to push a run home. The Bombers placed two runners on in the sixth, loaded the bases in the seventh and had a runner on third in the eighth.
Junior
Jake Binder took the loss in seven innings pitched. Binder allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts. Senior
Tyler Hill tossed a perfect eighth inning of relief and struck out the side.
Junior
Sam Little went 2-for-4 in the game, while Boresta, juniors
Jake Generali and
Andrew Bailey, and freshman
Garrett Callaghan collected hits.
The Bombers drew six walks in the loss and left 12 runners on base.
The Bombers have never played Otterbein or Adrian in program history, but that will change tomorrow afternoon at 1:15 p.m.