EWING, N.J. – The Ithaca College softball team returned to action on Saturday as the Bombers took the opening game of a doubleheader against host The College of New Jersey before falling in the nightcap at Dr. June Walker Field in Ewing, N.J.  With the split, Ithaca moves to 9-5 overall while the Lions move their record to 11-8.

Ithaca 6, TCNJ 4

Laura Quicker limited the Lions to five hits over six innings as the senior picked up her fifth win in the circle after the Bombers scored all six of their runs in the fourth inning.

Trailing 1-0 through three innings of play, Ithaca would plate six runs on four hits in the fourth to build a five-run lead, 6-1.  Kelly Robichaud got things started for Ithaca after booming a triple to right field before being replaced on the bases by Marrisa Smith.  Following a walk by Casey Gavin, Smith would score after the Lion's leftfielder dropped a fly ball, allowing Alex Wright to reach base.  With runners on first and second, Hannah Anderson stepped to the dish and blasted an RBI-double to left-center that scored Gavin while pushing Wright to third.  A wild pitch gave Wright the opportunity to score to make it 3-1 in Ithaca's favor before Erin McQuillan smacked a seeing-eye single to score the Bombers' fourth run of the inning.  As the frame continued, Allie Colleran and Nikkey Skuraton would each collect an RBI before the Lions could escape the inning trailing, 6-1.

In the bottom of the seventh, TCNJ would make things interesting after loading the bases with nobody out in the inning.  Haley Congdon would come on in relief of Quicker and quickly retired the first two batters she faced before surrendering a three-run double that made it a two-run game, 6-4, but that was as close as it would get as a pop up to the catcher ended the threat and secured the win for the Bombers.

 TCNJ 2, Ithaca 1

The Lions jumped out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the second inning and would tack on another in the fourth to hold a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth.

Ithaca would score its lone run of the game in the top of the seventh when Anderson connected for a solo blast, but Ithaca would fall victim to back-to-back strikeouts to end any chance at a comeback.

Congdon was saddled with her first loss of the season and moved to 3-1 after giving up two runs on seven hits over four innings of work.  She struck out four in the loss.  Allison Macari pitched two innings in relief and did not allow a base runner while striking out one in the process.

The Bombers will open the home portion of their schedule at 3 p.m. on Wednesday with a doubleheader against the University of Rochester at Kostrinsky Field.