ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally-ranked Ithaca College softball team rallied from behind in the opening game of an Empire 8 doubleheader against the Stevens Institute of Technology Ducks to take game one before earning an 8-0 decision in the second game on Saturday afternoon at Doris Kostrinsky Field.  With the wins, No. 23 Ithaca, which has now won its last 10 games and 16 of its last 17, remained perfect in the conference standings at 12-0 and moved its overall mark to 26-6.  The Ducks fell to 20-16 on the season and 7-7 against Empire 8 opponents. 

At the conclusion of the twin-billing, the Bombers honored and thanked the five seniors on the team including Casey Gavin, Allison Macari, Erin McQuillan, Laura Quicker and Kelly Robichaud. 

ITHACA 11, STEVENS 10

After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the top of the first inning without surrendering a run, the Bombers scored three runs on six hits after sending nine hitters to the plate in the home half of the first.  Ithaca would crack four consecutive base knocks including doubles by seniors Gavin and Robichaud while the next hitter, Alex Wright, drew a base on balls before moving to second on a single from McQuillan to load the bases.  Hannah Anderson would make it 3-0 in Ithaca's favor after blasting a single through the left side which scored Robichaud before the Ducks' could get out of the inning.

Stevens would get on the board with a run in the third inning after drawing a walk with the bases loaded before putting up four runs in the fourth with a grand slam to hold a 6-3 edge heading into the bottom of the fourth.

The lead would be short-lived, however, as the Bombers came roaring back with a big inning of their own after scoring 7 runs on 7 hits in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim the advantage, 10-6.  In all, the Bombers sent 11 batters to the plate with Hannah Anderson earning two hits in the inning.  Vanessa Brown had the big blow in the frame with a two-run single while Gavin, Robichaud, Wright, McQuillan and Anderson each collected an RBI for the Bombers. 

The Ducks would stick around, though, with two more runs in the fifth inning before chasing Haley Congdon, who had relieved Quicker in the fourth, with a two-run sixth inning to knot things up at 10 runs apiece.

Ithaca would score what turned out to be the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning after Allie Colleran drew a walk with the bases loaded to give the Bombers a one-run edge, 11-10.

Allison Macari was credited with her eighth win of the season (8-3) after tossing 1.2 innings of relief.  The senior allowed just one hit and struck out three overall.
The Bombers combined for 16 team hits with Robichaud, Anderson and Brown each collecting three hits.

ITHACA 8, STEVENS 0 (Five Innings)

Robichaud continued her hot hitting in the bottom of the first inning after driving home Nikkey Skuraton and Gavin, both of whom had walked in the frame, with a two-run triple into right field to give the Bombers a 2-0 lead through one.

After a scoreless second inning of play, Ithaca would make it a three run game when Gavin dropped a squeeze bunt down the first base line while Skuraton scurried home before the ball could be fielded.  As the inning wore on, Robichaud's bat delivered the big blow as the senior catcher blasted a three-run bomb over the centerfield fence to put her team up, 6-0, heading into the fourth. 

Ithaca would score two more runs in the bottom of the fifth after Robichaud and Wright each drove in a run with an extra base hit to give the Bombers an 8-0 win.

Macari earned her second win of the day inside the circle to move to 9-3 overall.  The senior scattered three hits over five innings and struck out three in her fourth complete-game shutout of the season. 

Robichaud hit the cover off the ball on the day going 6-for-7 overall with two doubles, a triple and a homerun to go along with eight RBI. 

Up next, Ithaca travels to Pittsford to take on nationally-ranked St. John Fisher at 1 p.m. on Sunday in a conference doubleheader that could decide the regular season champion in the Empire 8 Conference.