ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team picked up two more wins in Empire 8 play as the Bombers took both ends of a doubleheader against the Utica College Pioneers on Sunday at Doris Kostrinsky Field.  With the wins, Ithaca, which has now won six straight games, moved to 15-5 overall and remained unbeaten in conference play with a 4-0 record.  Utica, which saw its four-game winning streak halted, moved to 12-12 on the season and 3-3 in the Empire 8 standings.

Ithaca 9, Utica 8

After falling behind by a run in the first inning, Ithaca responded with four runs on four hits in the bottom of the second frame highlighted by a two-run double from Erin McQuillan that scored Alex Wright and Kelly Robichaud to make it 2-1 in Ithaca's favor.  As the inning continued, the Bombers would double their lead after a Pioneers' error allowed Emily Bloom and McQuillan to cross home plate which staked the Bombers to a 4-1 lead heading into the third.

Utica would tie the game in the top of the third with a grand slam, but the lead would be short-lived as Ithaca tied the game at 5-5 on an RBI-double from Casey Gavin and would take the lead for good on a two-out single to leftfield by Bloom to make it 6-5, Ithaca.

Ithaca extended its lead in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-out run-scoring double off Alex Wright's bat and would plate two more in the sixth as Vanessa Brown and Robichaud each collected an RBI in the process.

Trailing 9-5 heading into the seventh, Utica would score three runs on the strength of four hits before the Bombers closed the door on the comeback bid to hold on for the one-run win, 9-8.

Haley Congdon pitched the final four innings in relief and earned her fifth win of the season (5-1).  The freshman allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits.  She struck out six in the win.  Senior Laura Quicker started in the circle but did not factor in the decision after going three innings where she surrendered five runs on nine hits.

Offensively, Ithaca had seven players tally at least one hit led by Robichaud who went 3-for-4 at the dish with a double, one RBI and two runs scored.  Nikkey Skuraton and Wright each collected two hits for the Bombers.

 Ithaca 6, Utica 3

Allie Colleran provided a majority of the offensive power for the Bombers after going 3-for-4 at the dish with a double, two homeruns and three RBI. 

Allison Macari pitched seven strong innings in the circle to pick up her third win of the season (3-2).  The senior allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and struck out two in the win. 

Colleran staked Ithaca to an early lead after lifting a lead-off homerun to give the Bombers a 1-0 lead.

The Pioneers would answer in the top of the second with two runs on one hit and an Ithaca error to hold a one-run advantage and would stretch their lead to two runs in the top of the third after belting a homer over the leftfield fence to make it 3-1.

The Bombers countered in the home half of the frame when Brown and Gavin each lined RBI knocks to tie the game at three runs apiece.

The score wouldn't remained tied for long though as Colleran blasted a two-run jack down the leftfield line to lift the Bombers to a 5-3 lead before Brown scored the game's final run on a wild pitch in the fifth.

The Bombers will continue their four-game home stand at 3 p.m. on Tuesday when they take on Oneonta in a non-conference doubleheader at Kostrinsky Field.