HOBOKEN, N.J. – The Ithaca College baseball team took down Stevens Institute of Technology, 4-3, in 10 innings during the final game of the three-game Empire 8 Conference series on Sunday at Dobbelaar Field in Hoboken, N.J. Ithaca evens its record at 9-9 on the season and 2-1 in Empire 8 play, while Stevens falls to 14-10 overall and 6-2 in the conference.
Stevens got out to a 1-0 edge on a lead-off solo home run in the bottom of the second, and the Ducks would hold onto that advantage for three more innings.
Ithaca grabbed the lead in the fifth with a two-run double down the left field line from junior
Josh Savacool that brought in classmate
Ryan Henchey and freshman
Webb Little. Henchey and W. Little both found their way on base with singles.
Another solo homer from the Ducks in the bottom half of the fifth tied the game at 2-2, but the Bombers regained the lead at 3-2 in the sixth on an RBI single from freshman
Matt Carey that plated fellow freshman
Andrew Bailey from second base.
In the bottom of the seventh, Stevens loaded the bases and tied the game up once again with a single, but senior reliever
Ryan Contegni was able to get out of the inning without allowing anymore damage, as he retired the next two batters on a strikeout and fielder's choice.
Stevens threatened to win the game in the bottom of the ninth by placing runners at the corners and one out. The Ducks' next batter sent a fly ball to left for a potential game-winning sacrifice fly, but junior
Ryan Dougherty came up throwing and gunned down Stevens' runner at the plate to send the game into extra innings.
Henchey provided the eventual game-winning RBI with a single to right field in the 10th inning that allowed junior
Trevor Thompson to come home from second. Thompson led off the 10th with a base hit and then stole second.
Contegni locked up the victory with a perfect 10th inning for his first win of the season. Contegni tossed five innings of relief and struck out five batters, while allowing four hits and one run. Senior
Brandon Diorio started on the mound for the Bombers and went five innings, giving up two runs on five hits.
Ithaca notched 11 hits in the game, led by a 3-for-5 day from W. Little. Henchey (2-for-5) and Carey (2-for-4) also recorded multi-hit efforts at the plate.
The Bombers are home for their next six games, starting with an E8 doubleheader against Elmira on April 6 at 1 p.m. Ithaca will then host Brockport at 4 p.m. on the 7th, followed by three games against SUNY Canton the 9th (doubleheader) and 10th.
