SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The bats were on fire for Ithaca in both games with a total of 26 runs scored on 29 hits.
 
The Bombers defeated regionally-ranked RPI 5-0 in the first game of the afternoon and secured a 21-1 victory against Union in the second game.
 
Sophomores Hannah Anderson and Vanessa Brown led the Bombers with four hits. Anderson recorded a team-leading six RBI between both games. Junior Allie Colleran and both recorded home runs in the game against Union.
 
Game 1
An early 3-0 lead gave Ithaca the momentum to win the first game of the day against RPI, 5-0.  
 
Senior Jessie Fleck kicked off the game with a one-out single to center field and was followed by Brown's fielder's choice. The play was accompanied by a throwing error that left both runners safe. Classmate Alex Wright stepped up to the plate and smoked a triple down the right field line, scoring Fleck and Brown to give Ithaca a 2-0 advantage.
 
RPI picked up the second out of the inning, but kept the frame going with a RBI-double to left center, giving the Bombers a 3-0 lead.
 
Veronica DeStefano led off bottom half of the inning for RPI, doubling to right center field. The freshman advanced to third on Devan Puhl's groundout, but sophomore pitcher Haley Congdon fought back, stranding DeStefano at third with a strikeout and groundout.
 
The second inning saw no offense for either squad, with the only baserunner coming on RPI's side on a one-out walk. The Bomber defense took care of the final two batters of the inning with a groundout and strikeout.
 
Fleck kicked off the top of the third inning with a walk, but was cut down at second on Brown's fielder's choice. With one down, Wright lined out to left field and Brown was caught leaving first base earlier to end the frame.
 
The Bombers retired RPI in order in the bottom of the third, including Congdon's third strikeout of the day.
 
Grage started the top of the fourth with a single to center field and advanced to second after a walk to Anderson. Sophomore Annie Cooney reached base next on a fielder's choice, where the Engineers forced out the lead runner at third.
 
A groundout by freshman Frankie-Ann McCauley advanced both Cooney and Anderson to second and third and freshman Abby Shields stepped up in a big way at the plate, smoking a single down the right field line scoring both runs to give Ithaca a 5-0 lead.
 
RPI earned a free pass in the bottom of the fourth with a one-out hit by pitch, but Congdon retired the following two batters with a strikeout and foul out to end the frame.
 
Wright recorded a one-out single to left field in the top of the fifth inning, but two groundouts ended the frame with the sophomore stranded at second.
 
Congdon picked up her fifth strikeout of the day in the bottom of the fifth inning after the Bomber defense retired the Engineers in order.
 
McCauley notched her first hit of the game in the top of the sixth inning with a one-out single to second base, but RPI sat down the next two Bombers with a fly out and a strikeout.
 
The biggest threat of the game from RPI came in the bottom of the sixth inning, beginning with a Puhl single up the middle. Courtney McArthur followed up with a seven-pitch walk, giving RPI runners on first and second with one out. Stephanie Caudle reached base next on a fielder's choice, giving the Engineers runners on second and third. Congdon forced a pop out to end the frame with the baserunners stranded to keep Ithaca's lead at 5-0.
 
Ithaca tried to extend its lead in the top of the seventh inning with a one-out Brown single up the middle. The sophomore then stole second to give the Bombers a runner in scoring position during their last-ups. RPI forced a fly out and a groundout end the frame with no damage done, bringing the Engineers to their final at bats.
 
The Bombers retired RPI in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure the 5-0 victory.
 
Wright led the way with two hits and two RBI, while Shields also pitched in two RBI of her own. Congdon went the distance in the circle, allowing only two hits and striking out five to earn her 12th win of the season.
 
Game 2
The bats were alive in the second game for Ithaca, with the Bombers recording 21 runs on 20 hits.
 
Ithaca got off to another quick start, this time against Union, taking a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Colleran led off the game with a single to shortstop and Fleck followed up with a bunt single of her own to give Ithaca two runners on with no outs. Brown reached base during the next at bat, thanks to an error by Union, scoring Colleran and advancing Fleck to third.
 
The Bombers took a 2-0 lead on Wright's sacrifice fly and went up 3-0 on Shields' double to center field, scoring Brown. The final run of the inning came on Anderson's single to right center, scoring Shields from third. Ithaca finished the innings with five hits, leaving two on base as Union forced a fielder's choice to end the frame.
 
The Dutchwomen got one back in the bottom of the first inning after a one-out walk to Laura Aptowitz. She advanced two bases on wild pitches and scored after Nikki Ditizio reached base on an Ithaca fielding error. Pitcher Emily Holden got the final Dutchwoman swinging to end the frame.
 
Colleran kicked off the top of the second inning with a blast to left field, putting the Bombers up 5-1. The home run was her team-leading sixth of the season. Fleck walked to follow up the home run and then Brown singled, advancing Fleck to third. On the next play, Wright reached base on a fielding error, scoring Fleck to give Ithaca the 6-1 lead. A walk to Holden loaded the bases and during the next at bat, Anderson smoke a double down the left field line to score Brown and Wright.
 
Ithaca kept the hits coming, with Cooney doubling to left field, scoring both Anderson and Holden to give the Bombers a 10-1 lead. Colleran was intentionally walked, giving Ithaca runners on the corners with two outs and then junior Emily Bloom singled to right field, scoring Cooney to put Ithaca up 11-1. On the next play, Brown singled to right field, scoring both Colleran and Bloom to give the Bombers a 13-1 lead. Union forced a fly out to end the inning, but not before Ithaca scored nine runs on six hits.
 
The Bombers retired Union in order in the bottom of the second innings, including second strikeout the game.
 
With one-out and one runner on in the top of the third inning, Anderson homered to deep center field to give Ithaca a 2-1 lead. The homer was her first of the season and sixth of her career. Union retired Hannah Peters and Gabbie Litz to end the frame with no more damage.
 
The Dutchwomen kicked off the bottom of the third inning with a walk to Kelsey Hartsoe, but two fly outs and a fielder's choice ending the inning with no Union runs.
 
Bloom hit a bunt single to kick off the top of the fourth inning, followed by a one-out infield single by freshman Haley Gaffney to put runners on first and second. Bloom was cut down on the next play, a fielder's choice by Shields. Holden reached on throwing error after the fielder's choice, allowing Gaffney to score and put Ithaca up 16-1.
 
Dana Dolinko recorded a two-out single in the bottom of the fourth inning, looking to get something going for Union, but Holden got the final batter swinging to end the frame.
 
Peters picked up her first hit of the day and advanced 60 feet on a wild pitch. Freshman Lindsey Keller singled to right center field to tally her first hit of the day, moving Peters to third in the process. After two fly outs, Brown doubled down the left field line, scoring Peters to give Ithaca a 17-1 lead. Gaffney singled to second base to continue the inning, scoring Keller.
 
Shields added to her name to the two-hit column, blasting a three-run home run over the center field fence, giving the Bombers a 21-1 lead over Union in the top of the fifth inning.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Dutchwomen started the bottom of the inning with a single down the right field line.
 
Anderson led the game with three hits and five RBI, including her first home run of the season. Brown also finished with three hits and two RBI. Colleran, Bloom, Shields and Cooney each pitched in two hits on the day as well to contribute to Ithaca's 20 hits. Shields recorded four RBI, while Cooney and Brown each pitched in two. Holden went all five innings, allowing two hits and no runs, while striking out four.
 
The Bombers are back in action on Sunday when they travel to Manhattanville College to play a non-conference doubleheader at noon and 2 p.m. Live stats can be found at athletics.ithaca.edu.