ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca men's baseball team rallied from an early 2-0 deficit and tied the score in the eighth inning, but #25 Rochester (25-4) scored three times in the top of the 11th inning to earn a 5-2 win over the Bombers (11-12) Tuesday afternoon at Freeman Field.

After the Yellow Jackets scored single runs in the first and fourth innings, Ithaca answered in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out single from junior second baseman Jarrod Surine (Trumansburg/Trumansburg) that brought home freshman shortstop Matt Keller (Pelham/Pelham).

The Bombers worked out of a jam in the top of the fifth inning as starting pitcher senior Tom Fishback (Webster/Penfield) struck out two batters with runners on second and third to get out of the inning. Fishback threw five innings and struck out six batters. He allowed eight hits and two runs, both earned.

Ithaca tied the score in the bottom of the eighth. Leadoff hitter, senior center fielder Jon Krakower (The Berkshire School/Albany) started the inning by drawing an 11-pitch walk. He advanced to second on a ground out, and was there with two outs when David Ahonen (Victor/Farmington) delivered a game-tying single to center field to bring in Krakower and make the score 2-2.

Surine had two of Ithaca's six hits in the game, and junior left fielder Matt Streich (East Greenwich/East Greenwich, R.I.) had the Bombers' only extra-base hit, a double in the third.

Rochester scored the game's deciding runs in the top of the 11th. Two of the three were unearned. Sophomore relief pitcher Tucker Healey (Needham/Needham, Mass.) took the loss. Rochester reliever Corey King earned the win and pitched two and a third scoreless innings.

The Bombers return to Empire 8 play this weekend with Saturday and Sunday doubleheaders at St. John Fisher.

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