ITHACA, N.Y. -- The top-seeded softball team (27-12) dropped a 1-0 decision to second-seeded Rochester Institute of Technology (23-11) in an elimination game of the Empire 8 Championship Tournament. The Tigers advance to face second-seeded St. John Fisher at 1 p.m., needing to beat the Cardinals twice to claim the tournament title. The Bombers. who were second in the NCAA's last two East Region rankings, await Monday morning's announcement of the NCAA playoff field.

The Tigers scored an unearned run in the first inning; their leadoff hitter beat out an infield single and reached second on a sacrifice bunt. On a fly ball to the outfield she advanced to third and continued home when the throw went past the base.

Ithaca put just six runners on base and was held hitless until the fourth. Both Bomber hits came in the fourth; sophomore first baseman Carianne D'Allessandro (Bridgewater-Raritan/Bound Brook, N.J.) singled with one out and a walk to senior left fielder Britt Lillie (Honeoye Falls-Lima/Mendon) put runners on first and second. Senior Kerry Barger (Carmel/Carmel) followed with a single to center field but RIT threw out the lead runner at home.

Only one more Bomber reached base over the final three innings. Sophomore center fielder Jennifer Biondi (Morris Knolls/Rockaway, N.J.) drew a one-out walk in the sixth but was erased on a double play.

Lillie also fanned three Tigers in a 1.2-inning relief stint. She worked out of a jam in the fifth, coming in with one out and a runner on first; after allowing a single she retired the final five hitters she faced.

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