Salem, Va..-- The Ithaca softball team lost to Wisconsin-Whitewater in an elimination game Saturday night at the NCAA Division III World Series. The Bombers finished fourth in the tournament, earning Ithaca’s seventh top-five national finish since 1999.

The game was a defensive struggle early, with neither team scoring in the first three innings. The Bomber defense played out of a jam in the second inning after a hit and an error gave the Warhawks runners on first and third with no outs. Senior pitch Carly Myers (Claremont Secondary/Victoria, British Columbia) struck out the next batter on three pitches for the first out. A wild pitch to the next batter gave the Warhawks a chance to score, but senior catcher Stacy Pelesz (Hudson/Livingston)  hustled to the backstop, picked up the ball and flipped it to sophomore first baseman Caitlin Ryan (Allentown/Clarksburg, N.J.), who had raced into first base to cover home. Ryan then tagged the Warhawk runner for the second out. The next batter hit a drive to right center, but the centerfielder Chelsey Feldman (Hewlett/Lynbrook) made a running catch for the third out.

Ithaca had a chance to score in the fourth inning when freshman Kerry Barger (Carmel/Carmel) doubled down the left field line with two outs. However, the next batter grounded out to end the threat. Whitewater took advantage, as the Warhawks scored once in the fourth inning and then three more in the fifth inning to take a 4-0 lead.

The game brought a close to the career of six Bomber seniors: Nicole Cade (Beaverton/Portland, Ore.), Erica Cutspec (Fort Plain/Fort Plain), Amanda Kowalsick (Riverhead/Jamesport), Myers, Pelesz and Jessica Stangarone (Brewster/Brewster). The seniors led Ithaca to 142 wins, three conference titles and three regional titles in their careers

 The Bombers finish the season with a record of 36-12.

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