ITHACA, N.Y.—The Ithaca softball team (12-8, 3-1 Empire 8) split an Empire 8 doubleheader with visiting Alfred (14-4, 3-1 Empire 8) Saturday at Kostrinsky Field, winning game one 8-2 and losing the nightcap 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh. The Bombers and Saxons are tied atop the Empire 8 standings.

Senior first baseman Caitlin Ryan (Allentown/Clarksburg, N.J.) led Ithaca's 14-hit outburst in the opener, collecting two hits and two runs batted in. Sophomore center fielder Annemarie Forenza (Hunterdon Central/Whitehouse Station, N.J.) added a single, a double and two runs driven in.

The Bombers opened a 5-0 lead after two innings. Junior left fielder Brittany Lillie (Honeoye Falls-Lima/Honeoye Falls) doubled in a run in the first and scored on a single by freshman third baseman Molly O'Donnell (Niskayuna/Niskayuna). Lillie's run-scoring doubles and RBI singles by Ryan and senior catcher Katherine Wilson (Sparta/Sparta, N.J.) brought three more runs home in the third.

Forenza and Ryan added RBI hits in the sixth to cap the Bomber scoring.

Freshman outfielder Jennifer Biondi (Morris Knolls/Denville, N.J.) and junior second baseman Kait Dolan (Victor/Farmington) also had two hits apiece.

Senior Alyssa Brook (Monmouth Regional/Tinton Falls, N.J.) improved to 4-3 with a complete-game five-hit effort. She struck out six Saxons.

In game two Alfred tied the game in the bottom of the sixth and won the game on a bases-loaded infield error with one out in the bottom of the seventh (in Empire 8 doubleheaders, the host school bats as the visiting team in game two). Ithaca took leads of 1-0 and 2-1 with junior shortstop Alison Greaney (John F. Kennedy/Iselin, N.J.) doubling in the first run and junior first baseman Kerry Barger (Carmel/Carmel) singling in a run in the fifth.

Barger and Ryan both had two of Ithaca's seven hits.

The Bombers continue their homestand Sunday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Empire 8 rival Rochester Institute of Technology.

Game one box score

Game two box score