ITHACA, N.Y. -- The Ithaca College baseball team (26-8-1, 14-4 Empire 8) clinched the outright Empire 8 title by beating Utica 2-1 in the opener of Sunday's doubleheader, then completed the sweep with a 4-0 win in game two. Three straight Bombers reached base with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and senior second baseman Matt Keller (Pelham/Pelham) was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run in game one. The Bombers' conference title is their 10th in the 12 years the conference has sponsored baseball and they reached the 25-win mark for the 26th time in the past 32 years.

Ithaca's game-winning rally in the opener came without a hit. Sophomore catcher Corey Caswell drew a two-out walk and sophomore shortstop Tim Locastro walked on four pitches. Following a balk that moved the runners up a base, Utica intentionally walked senior center fielder Mike Rosenbaum to set up a force at any base. Keller took two pitches before being hit in the shoulder with the 2-0 pitch that brought home the winning run. Bomber batters have been hit by a pitch a school-record 76 times this season.

After the Pioneers took a 1-0 lead with a run in the top of the third – the only run Utica scored in the three-game weekend series – the Bombers tied the score in their half of the inning. Caswell led off with a double and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on Rosenbaum's flare over third base.

Sophomore Pat Lemmo threw his fifth complete game of the season, allowing five hits while striking out seven. He improved to 9-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.87. Lemmo, who needed just 71 pitches for the complete-game victory, is the first Bomber to win nine games since Shane Wolf in 2008 and his victory total matches the program's fifth-highest single-season mark.

In game two, freshman John Prendergast and two relievers combined to blank Utica on five hits. Prendergast struck out three Pioneers and raised his record to 8-0. He's tied Ithaca's record  for wins by a freshman shared by Dave Axenfeld (1980) and Nick Sottung (2005).

Ian Rebhan and Tucker Healy, two of the seven Ithaca seniors recognized during their last home appearance, each threw a scoreless inning. Rebhan retired all three hitters he faced and Healy struck out the side while walking one batter.

Rosenbaum had three of Ithaca's nine hits. He scored two runs and drove in a third. In the Bombers' two-run first, Locastro led off with a double and Rosenbaum beat out a bunt to third. Keller singled Locastro home and senior right fielder Teagen Barresi scored Rosenbaum with a single to right field.

In the third, Rosenbaum singled with one out and stole second, reaching third when the catcher threw the ball away. A sacrifice fly by Keller brought him home.

Rosenbaum closed out the game's scoring in the seventh, doubling down the line to score Locastro (who had drawn a two-out walk).

Barresi, Healy, Keller, Rebhan, Rosenbaum, first baseman Mike Preite and infielder Jarrod Surine were honored after the doubleheader. The seven seniors have helped the Bombers to 92 wins and two Empire 8 titles over the past four years.
 
The Bombers are scheduled to close out the regular season Saturday with a single game at Montclair State.

Game one box score | Game two box score