ITHACA, N.Y.—Ithaca (14-10, 3-1 Empire 8) split its doubleheader with St. John Fisher (16-6, 4-2) Friday, falling 15-14 in the opener and shutting out the Cardinals 9-0 in game two. The second game was shortened to five innings by inclement weather. Ithaca's loss in the first game snapped a 38-game conference winning streak, the longest in any sport in Empire 8 history.
Freshman centerfielder Julianna Van Meter (Rome Free Academy/Rome) pounded out six hits in the two games, going 4-for-5 in game one. She drove in four runs on the day. Sophomore Brittany Lillie (Honeoye Falls-Lima/Honeoye Falls) scored seven runs in the twinbill, four in game one and three in game two.
The first game was a seesaw affair, with Ithaca giving up four runs in the top of the first before scoring four of their own in each of the second and third innings. The Bombers took advantage of a pair of Cardinal errors in the second to tie the game with unearned runs.
In the third, sophomore Kerry Barger (Carmel/Carmel) reach on another Fisher error, and scored on a triple from Lillie. Lillie scored on a double from freshman Annmarie Forenza (Hunterdon Central/Whitehouse Station, N.J.). Junior Alyssa Guzman (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) capped the inning with a two-run single.
The Cardinals scored 11 times over the final four innings, and took a 15-12 advantage into the bottom of the seventh. Barger led off the inning with a double and scored on a base hit top center from Lillie. With two outs, pinch-hitter Regina Douglas (James Caldwell/West Caldwell, N.J.) knocked in Lillie with an opposite field single to cut the lead to 15-14. Ithaca could not plate another run in the inning, however, ending the game on a flyout.
Forenza, Barger, Lillie, Van Meter and Guzman all had multi-hit games in the opener. The latter three all drove in three runs.
The Bombers took early control of the second game, plating three runs in the first, with Forenza leading off the game with a home run. Sophomore Alison Greaney (John F. Kennedy/Iselin, N.J.) drove in Lillie with an RBI single, and scored on a Van Meter double.
Junior Caitlin Ryan (Allentown/Clarksburg, N.J.) had a homer off her own to lead off the third. The Bombers scored three more times in the inning to take full control of the game at 7-0.
Hitting in the top two spots in the lineup, Forenza and Ryan each collected two hits, as did Van Meter and sophomore Courtney Noster (Clearview/Lorain, Ohio). All nine Bomber starters collected a hit in the game.
Lillie held the Cardinals to just two hits over her five shutout innings of work. She struck out five and did not walk a batter.
Ithaca continues Empire 8 play Saturday, with a home doubleheader against Nazareth. Game one is set to begin at 1 p.m.
Game one box score
Game two box score
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