Box Score LOS ANGELES, Calif. – In the second extra inning game in the past three days, the Ithaca College baseball team came away with its first victory of the season with an 11-9 victory at Occidental in 12 innings. Ithaca is now 1-4 overall, while Occidental falls to 11-6.

The 11 runs scored on Thursday matched the Bombers' season total and their 13 hits are the most through five games.

Ithaca's offense was led by junior Zach Pidgeon, who went 4-for-6 at the plate with three runs scored and two doubles. Fellow junior Stephen Yanchus stroked the team's first homerun of the season in a 2-for-4 effort at the plate to go along with three runs scored, three RBI and two walks.

Junior Zach Cole and sophomore Trevor Thompson each recorded two hits for the Bombers. Cole also drove in two runs and stole a base, while Thompson scored twice, drove in one and walked.

Ithaca scored the game's first run on a sacrifice fly from Thompson that plated senior Christian Brown. Brown led off the afternoon with a double. Occidental then knotted the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning.

The Bombers regained the lead with two runs in the fourth on Yanchus' two-run homer with Pidgeon on base. In the top of the fifth, Ithaca scored once more to build a three-run advantage, 4-1, on an RBI groundout from senior Cooper Belyea. Sophomore Ryan Dougherty scored after reaching on a walk, stealing second and advancing to third on an error.

Occidental got back to within a 4-3 game heading into the seventh inning with one run apiece in the fifth and sixth. Ithaca got a run back in the top of the seventh after senior Matt Connolly scored during a pick-off attempt to bring the lead back out to 5-3.

The Tigers tied the game up in the bottom half of the seventh on a wild pitch and walk, and then went ahead for the first time, 8-5, in the eighth with two singles and a walk.

Ithaca sent Friday's game into extra innings with three runs in the ninth on three hits. Thompson led things off with a walk and then Pidgeon doubled with no outs. Yanchus singled home Thompson, and after Connolly reached on a hit by pitch, Dougherty drew a walk with the bases loaded to push Pidgeon. Cole drove in the last run of the frame on a sacrifice fly to bring Yanchus in to score.

In the top of the 12th, Connolly singled with the bases loaded which brought Thompson and Pidgeon across the plate. After a pitching change and double play, Cole knocked a base hit to right field to score Yanchus.

Occidental had one last attempt to continue the game after a lead-off homerun and single, but the next three batters could not get on base – two of which were struck out by freshman Tyler Hill.

Senior Zach Dickstein picked up the win 3.1 innings of relief. Hill earned his first collegiate save in a perfect inning of work.

Junior Brandon Diorio started on the mound for Ithaca and went 5.2 innings. Diorio allowed six hits and three earned runs with one strikeout. Classmate Ryan Contegni was first out of the bullpen and fanned one in an inning pitched. Sophomore Logan Barer and senior Jared Amory combined to throw one inning.

The Bombers concluded their trip to California with a game at the Redlands tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. and an 11 a.m. matchup with Spalding on March 14. 

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