Utica, N.Y. -- The baseball team (17-13, 8-6 Empire 8) continued its surge, sweeping host Utica (8-27, 5-11 Empire 8) 7-6 and 18-3. The Bombers, who've won six of their last seven games, outscored the Pioneers 52-12 in sweeping the season series. In the opener, senior Dan Lynch (Williamsville South/East Amherst) allowed one hit over six shutout innings and the Bombers withstood a late rally that saw the Pioneers score six seventh-inning runs and bring the potential winning run to the plate. Ithaca scored a season-best 18 runs in game two.

The Bombers scored six runs over the first three innings of game one, then pushed acrosse the decisive run in the sixth on an RBI single by third baseman David Ahonen (Farmington/Victor), a graduate student. Senior first baseman Trevor Wolf (Freeville/Lansing), junior left fielder Taegen Barresi (Lansing/Lansing) and junior second baseman Matt Keller (Pelham/Pelham) drove in first-inning runs and the Bombers extended their lead on a run-scoring triple by junior designated hitter Mike Rosenbaum (Fayetteville-Manlius/Fayetteville) in the second and third inning runs that came home on a Pioneer error and a sacrifice fly by freshman shortstop Tim LoCastro (Auburn/Auburn).

Lynch faced the minimum 18 batters over his six innings (Utica's only baserunner, which came via a one-out single in the second, was erased by an inning-ending double play). He struck out five while throwing just 51 pitches and improved to 3-2 on the season.

Utica rallied in the bottom of the seventh, stringing together three hits, three walks and a hit batter to score six runs. Junior Tucker Healy (Needham/Needham, Mass.) retired the final batter (with the tying run on first) for his second save.

Barresi and Rosenbaum both had two hits and two runs scored.

In the nightcap the Bombers exploded for eight third-inning runs to pull away from a 5-2 lead. The win marked the team's eighth 10-run performance in 30 games this spring.

Barresi and senior right fielder Matt Streich (East Greenwich/East Greenwich, R.I.) both finished with two hits and three runs batted in. Keller and sophomore center fielder Andrew Turner (Randolph/Randolph, N.J.) had two hits apiece. Keller, Wolf, senior center fielder Rob Zappia (Greece Athena/Rochester) and senior catcher Sean Weber (Columbia/East Schodack) all scored two runs, with Zappia, freshman second baseman Tim Henry (Ocean Township/North Allenhurst, N.J.) and freshman right fielder Bill Collins (East Hampton/East Hampton) each driving in a pair of runs.

Sophomore Pat Lemmo (Syracuse/Westhill), the first of three Ithaca relievers who combined for five innings of one-run relief, picked up the win and improved to 4-1 on the season.

The Bombers are scheduled to return to action May 14 and 15 with games at Montclair State.


Game one box score

Game two box score