Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College softball team began its conference season with a doubleheader sweep of Nazareth on Sunday afternoon at Kostrinsky Field. Ithaca won both games by 8-0 scores, and each game was shortened due to the scoring-margin rule. Ithaca won the first game in six innings and the second game in five innings. In the afternoon sweep, Ithaca totaled 24 hits and allowed only four hits. Ithaca played error-free defense in both contests.
 
Ithaca's record stands at 11-5 overall and 2-0 in the Empire 8. Nazareth is 3-9 overall and 0-2 in the conference. The Bombers will host Houghton in a doubleheader Tuesday at 3 p.m.
 
ITHACA 8, NAZARETH 0 (6 inn.) | Box Score and Play-by-Play
 
In the opening game of the doubleheader, Sam Bender pitched the complete-game shutout victory and improved her record to 6-2 on the year. She allowed just two hits, walked three batters, and had five strikeouts.
 
Ithaca gave Bender all of the support she would need in a two-run second inning. Francesca Busa's line-drive sacrifice fly to center field scored Casey Gavin, and a second run scored on an infield error by Nazareth. In the sixth, Ithaca scored six times on six hits, including three doubles. Monica Capolongo doubled to start the inning, and scored when Gavin followed with a double. Rachel Dell'Orto singled later in the inning to bring in Gavin. Busa and Julianne Vincent continued the rally with singles, and a bases-loaded double by Jessie Fleck cleared the bases and gave Ithaca a 7-0 lead. Sydney Folk grounded out to bring in Fleck with Ithaca's eighth run.
 
Ithaca had 11 hits in the game, two-each by Fleck, Gavin and Busa. Fleck led Ithaca with three RBIs. Five of the 11 Ithaca hits were doubles.
 
ITHACA 8, NAZARETH 0 (5 inn.) | Box Score and Play-by-Play
 
Ithaca did most of its damage in a six-run fourth inning that included five hits. With one out, Francesca Busa delivered a sacrifice fly to bring in Casey Gavin. Julilanne Vincent followed with an RBI single to bring home Erin McQuillan. The two-out rally continued with RBI hits by Sydney Folk, Rachel Dell'Orto and Monica Capolongo. Capolongo's double to right field scored Dell'Orto and Folk and gave Ithaca a 7-0 lead.
 
Ithaca's opening run came in the third when Dell'Orto singled to bring in Jessie Fleck. The game-ending run came in the top of the fifth on a Julianne Vincent triple that brought in Busa.
 
Laura Quicker pitched the first four innings and picked up the victory to improve her record to 3-2 on the year. She allowed two hits, walked one, and struck out three Nazareth hitters. Allison Macari pitched the final inning with one strikeout.
Vincent, Folk, Dell'Orto, Capolongo and McQuillan all had two hits each for Ithaca. Ithaca stole four bases in the game.