Troy, N.Y. – The Ithaca softball team (19-7) slugged two home runs in each game of a doubleheader split at Rensselaer (16-6). Ithaca won the opening game by a score of 8-5, and dropped the second game by an 8-6 score. The second game marked the first time that Rensselaer had beaten Ithaca since the 2004 season. Ithaca returns to conference play with a doubleheader Friday at Utica.

#29 ITHACA 8, Rensselaer 5 | Box Score

Senior pitcher Britt Lillie (Honeoye Falls-Lima/Mendon) earned the win in the circle and helped her own cause at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a home run in Ithaca's game one victory. Lillie pitched six innings, allowed just two runs on five hits and had two strikeouts. She is now 7-2 on the year. Lillie's offensive contributions included a two-run homer in the top of the first inning and an RBI single in the fifth. She also scored two runs.

Junior shortstop Annmarie Forenza (Hunterdon Central/Whitehouse Station, N.J.) also hit a two-run homer for the Bombers. That came in the top of the fourth inning. Sophomore centerfielder Jennifer Biondi (Morris Hills/Rockaway, N.J.) was 2-for-3 in the game with two runs scored.

Rensselaer 8, #29 ITHACA 6 | Box Score

The Bombers scored all six of their runs in the top of the second inning, but saw the lead erased when RPI struck for four in the bottom of the third and added an insurance run in the fifth.

Ithaca's big inning included home runs from senior second baseman Kait Dolan (Victor /Farmington) and sophomore first baseman Molly O'Donnell (Niskayuna/Niskayuna). Both homers were the first of the season for those two players. O'Donnell's was a solo shot to start the rally and Dolan's blast was a grand slam and capped the scoring spree.

Freshman Sam Bender (Neshaminy/Levittown, Pa.) started and pitched into the third inning, and freshman Jillian Olmstead (Caesar Rodney/Magnolia, Del.) took the loss in relief.