ITHACA, N.Y.--The Bombers (9-3) picked up their fifth straight win, allowing just an unearned run in a 12-1 rout of New Paltz (2-11) Wednesday afternoon. Ithaca, ranked 24th in the nation by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), collected 13 hits in the win, with all nine starters picking up either a hit or an RBI.
Sophomore Matt Streich (East Greenwich/East Greenwich, R.I.) had the biggest hit of the afternoon, a three-run home run to center field in the fourth inning. Streich has hit three homers this season, and leads the team with 16 runs batted in.
Ithaca got on the board with a seventh-run third inning. Four Bombers--seniors Kurt Bednarcyk (Fairport/Fairport) and Alan Kartholl (John Jay/Fishkill), junior Brian Grastorf (Niskayuna/Rexford) and sophomore Trevor Wolf (Lansing/Freeville)—each hit run-scoring doubles in the inning. Streich and senior Matt Samela (Staples/Westport, Conn.) added RBI singles, and freshman Conor Thompson (West Genesee/Syracuse) started the scoring with an RBI groundout.
Samela, Streich and freshman #P.J. Niedzwiecki# (Westhill/Syracuse) each recorded a pair of hits for the Bombers. Niedzwiecki was playing in his first career game. Streich drove in a game-high four runs and scored twice. Bednarcyk also crossed the plate two times.
Head coach George Valesente used five pitchers to pick up the win. Junior Tom Fishback (Penfield/Webster) drew the start and threw three shutout innings, striking out two. The Bombers' next pitcher, sophomore Dan Lynch (Williamsville South/East Amherst) earned the win with two scoreless innings of his own. He struck out four.
Sophomore Aaron Sapp (Niskayuna/Niskayuna) pitched the sixth and seventh innings and freshman Brian Eggleston (Chenango Valley/Binghamton) the eighth. Both kept the Hawks off the scoreboard. Sophomore Andrew Wall (Newfield/Newfield) allowed an unearned run in the ninth.
Bomber pitchers combined to strike out 11 batters. They allowed six hits and walked four.
Ithaca opens Empire 8 play Saturday with a doubleheader at Rochester Institute of Technology.
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