Rochester, N.Y.—The 12th-ranked Bombers scored seven runs in the eighth inning against Rochester to erase a two-run deficit and earn a 15-9 victory over the host Yellowjackets (23-12). Freshman Ian Rebhan (Black River/Ludlow, Vt.), who was making his collegiate debut, picked up the win after pitching four innings of relief without allowing an earned run. Ithaca (23-6) has now won 11 of its last 12 games.
With his team down 9-7 in the eighth, senior Kurt Bednarcyk (Fairport/Fairport) led off the inning with a single and promptly scored on a double from classmate Dylan Perez (Conval Regional/Peterborough, N.H.). After a flyout, Ithaca loaded the bases with a hit batter and a walk. A wild pitch allowed Perez to scramble home as the game-tying run. Another walk reloaded the bases, and pitch hitter Trevor Wolf (Lansing/Freeville) drove in the go-ahead run by being by another Yellowjacket pitch.
Now up 10-9, the Bombers scored four more runs on an infield single from junior catcher Mike Armstrong (Penfield/Penfield), a sacrifice fly from senior centerfielder Matt Samela (Staples/Westport, Conn.), and a two-run double from Bednarcyk to cap the inning.
Ithaca's second through fifth hitters picked up 13 of the team's 15 hits. Bednarcyk and Perez each collected four hits, three runs batted in and two runs scored in the game. Bednarcyk hitthree doubles, while Perez hit his third triple in the last five games. Cleanup hitter David Ahonen (Victor/Farmington) went 2-for-4 with three RBI while sophomore Matt Streitch (East Greenwich/East Greenwich) had three hits in four at-bats.
The Bombers were up 3-2 after three innings before allowing five runs over the next two innings. After scoring twice in the fifth, Ithaca tied the score in the top of the sixth on consecutive bases loaded walks from Ahonen and Streich.
Rebhan, who entered the game in the fifth, allowed two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth, the only runs he allowed in the game. He allowed five hits and struck out a pair of Yellowjackets.
Ithaca returns to action Friday with a 4 p.m. game at Oswego.
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