ITHACA, N.Y. -- The second ranked softball team split a doubleheader with Buffalo State, winning game one 4-2 and falling in game two 3-2 to close out the regular season with an overall record of 32-4.

 

The first game was tied at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth when sophomore Erica Cutspec (Fort Plain/Fort Plain) singled to lead off the inning and later scored on an error to give the Bombers the lead for good at 3-2. Ithaca added another run in the bottom of the fifth as Cutspec singled to score senior Kaitlin Dulac (Bay View/East Greenwich, R.I.) from second for the 4-2 final.

 

Sophomore Nicole Cade (Beaverton/Portland, Ore.) struck out a career-high 17 batters to record her 16th win of the season. Dulac went two-for-two in game one with a run scored and an RBI. Junior Mel Chinigo (Norwich Free Academy/Norwich, Conn.) and Cutspec were each two-for-three with a run scored. 

 

The Bombers plated one run in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead, but the Bengals battled back, tying the game with two runs in the top of the fifth and took  the lead on an RBI single in the top of the seventh for the 3-2. Ithaca had runners at first and second with two outs, but were unable to score the game-tying run. Junior Hannah Shalett (Shepaug Valley/Bridgewater, Conn.) was two-for-three with a run scored.

 

The Bombers will return to action on Friday, May 5, when they host the Empire 8 Championship Tournament at Kostrinsky Field. Ithaca is the top seed in the tournament after going 12-0 in conference games this season.