UTICA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team suffered a pair of Empire 8 Conference losses to Utica College on Saturday by scores of 7-5 and 9-8. Ithaca is now 13-12 on the season and 5-3 in the Empire 8, while Utica improves to 4-15 and 4-7.

Since 2005, Ithaca held a record of 37-2-1 against Utica heading into today's doubleheader.

GAME ONE, Utica 7, Ithaca 5

After trailing, 3-0, through four innings, Ithaca knotted the opener up at 3-3 in the top of the fifth, but Utica responded with a four-run sixth inning to claim Game One. The Bombers attempted a comeback in the seventh, but could only score two runs and stranded a runner at second base.

Freshman Matt Carey doubled in junior Ryan Dougherty and freshman Andrew Bailey scored on an error during the play in the fifth. Junior Josh Savacool drove in Carey with a single one out later.

In the seventh, Dougherty led off the inning with a hit by pitch and stole second. Carey followed with a double, and then Dougherty scored on an RBI groundout from freshman Webb Little. Savacool picked up his second RBI of the game with a double to bring in Carey, but that was the closest Ithaca could get as its next batter struck out to end the game.

Dougherty reached base three times on a hit by pitch and two walks. Savacool and Carey both recorded two hits, while Bailey, W. Little and freshman Sam Little had the Bombers' other three hits.

Senior Benji Parkes went five innings in a no decision. Parkes gave up four runs (three earned) on six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks. Classmate Ryan Contegni took the loss in an inning of relief and only allowed one hit, but three unearned runs scored during that frame.

GAME TWO: Utica 9, Ithaca 8

Ithaca went up by a 1-0 score in the top of the first on a hit by pitch to junior Ryan Henchey with the bases loaded. The Bombers added another run in the second on an RBI double from W. Little that plated Carey, but Utica answered with two runs in the bottom half.

The Pioneers gained the lead in the third, only to watch Ithaca tie things up in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly from junior Trevor Thompson with W. Little on third. Utica retook the advantage at 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth with a pair of runs.

Ithaca notched five runs over the next three innings to take an 8-5 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. In the fifth, the Bombers scored two unearned runs on an error, a run on an RBI since from freshman Jake Generali in the sixth and a two-run double from S. Little in the seventh.

Utica mounted a comeback with four runs in the bottom half of the seventh on three hits and three errors by the Ithaca defense to complete the sweep.

Senior Brandon Diorio threw 3.1 innings in the starting role and gave up five runs on eight hits. Freshman Zach Zotolla took the loss in 3.1 innings of relief and allowed four runs (two earned) on six hits. Contegni fired the final 1.1 innings and fanned two batters.

Ithaca and Utica square off tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the final contest of the three-game series.