ITHACA, N.Y. -- The softball team (22-10) swept the visiting Oneonta Red Dragons (17-17) on Tuesday, winning game one 10-2 and the nightcap 9-0. The Bombers improved to 13-1 all-time against Oneonta and added their fifth shutout in six meetings against the Red Dragons.
Sophomore Kerry Barger (Carmel/Carmel) went 5-for-7 on the day. Junior Caitlin Ryan (Allentown/Clarksburg/N.J.) also recorded five hits on the day, including a 3-for-3 performance in the nightcap with two RBI's. Classmate Brittany Lillie (Honeoye Falls-Lima/Honeoye Falls) recorded three extra base hits in six at-bats for the day. She hit a home run in both ends of the doubleheader and drove in a team-best seven runs between the two games.
In game one, the Red Dragons jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. The Bombers responded in the bottom half of the inning with five runs on three hits. Lillie hit a double to right-center field which scored freshman Annmarie Forenza (Hunterdon Central/Whitehouse Station, N.J.) and Ryan. Freshman Julianna Van Meter (Rome Free Academy/Rome) reached base on an error by the shortstop in shallow left field which scored Lillie. Barger scored on the same play on an errant throw from the shortstop attempting to hit the cut-off. Freshman Ashley Chiocco smacked a single to right field in her first career at-bat as a Bomber to drive in Van Meter.
In the fifth, Forenza singled to right field to score junior Alyssa Guzman (Newburgh Free Academy/Newburgh) who reached base on a walk.
Ithaca led 7-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. Lillie led of the inning with a home run to left-center field - her fourth of the season. Van Meter kept the inning alive with a two-out single two batters later. Sophomore Courtney Noster (Clearview/Lorain, Ohio) followed with a single to right-field. Junior Danielle Fazzolare (Plainedge/North Massapequa) registered the third straight hit of the inning on a single that scored Van Meter. Noster scored the third run of the inning from third base on a wild pitch which stopped the game short of seven innings due to the eight-run mercy rule.
Lillie earned the winning decision in the complete game effort. She improves to 7-1 on the season.
In game two, junior pitcher Alyssa Brook (Monmouth Regional/Tinton Falls, N.J.) struck out the first six batters she faced en route to her 13th victory on the season. Brook faced the minimum of 12 batters in four innings and struck out eight of them. Junior Brooke Kithcart (Minisink Valley/Slate Hill) tossed the final inning for the Bombers and preserved the shutout.
In the first inning, Ryan recorded her third hit on the day with a double to left-field. Lillie then hit a two-run homer - her second of the day - to put the Bombers up 2-0.
In the second inning, Ryan collected her second hit of the game on an RBI single that scored Guzman. Lillie then reached on an error by the shortstop which scored Forenza, who doubled down the left-field line in her at-bat. Barger followed with a two-run single up the middle to drive in Lillie and Ryan.
In the third, Forenza hit her second double of the game to drive in Guzman. Ryan followed with an RBI single to center field for her third hit of the game.
Freshman Tricia Santelli (Newark/Newark) recorded her first hit as a Bomber in the fourth inning.
The Bombers will return to action on Wednesday for a doubleheader against host Cornell at 3:30 p.m.
Game one box score
Game two box score
