Thousand Oaks, Calif.--Senior Pete MacDaniel (Gansevoort/Schuylerville) allowed just three runs over seven innings to lead the Bombers to an 8-3 win over 18th-ranked Cal Lutheran Sunday afternoon. Ithaca (1-0) has opened each of the last two seasons with a win over the Kingsmen (11-3).

Ithaca took advantage of several Cal Lutheran miscues to break a 2-2 tie with four runs in the fifth inning. With two outs, sophomore Matt Streich (East Greenwich/East Greenwich, R.I.) was hit by a pitch. A walk to junior Brian Grastorf (Niskayuna/Rexford) put runners on first and second. A Kingsmen throwing error on a Bombers steal attempt allowed Streich to score and moved Grastorf to third.

Three straight walks scored the Bombers fourth run of the game, with senior Matt Samela (Staples/Westport, Conn.) picking up an RBI by drawing the bases-loaded free pass. The next batter, junior rightfielder #T.J. Abone# (Rome Free Academy/Rome) followed up with a single to right that drove in a pair of runs.

Abone went 3-for-5 in the game, picking up two RBI and scoring a run. Samela and Streich each knocked in two runs.

The Kingsmen cut the lead to 6-3 on a seventh-inning solo homerun, but Streich's two-run double in the eighth represented the last of the game's scoring.

Junior Tom Fishback (Penfield/Webster) closed out the game for the Bombers, he struck out one and allowed just one hit in his two innings of work.

Ithaca outhit the Kingsmen 9-8 in the game, with Grastorf and senior second baseman Dylan Perez (Conval Regional/Peterborough, N.H.) each picking up two hits.

The Bombers return to action Monday with a matchup with Pomona-Pitzer. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. EST.

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