SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team swept Skidmore on Sunday afternoon in a Liberty League doubleheader.
 
The Bombers came out strong to win the first game 6-2 before closing the day out with a 8-3 win. Ithaca is now 11-7 overall with a 2-2 mark in conference play.
 
Game 1 | IC 6, Skidmore 2
 
Ithaca put up its first run in the bottom of the first inning. Gabby Laccona reached on a fielder's choice play before stealing second to put herself in scoring position. Abby Shields singled to move Laccona to third and the run finally came in on a Hannah Anderson single down the right field line.
 
The Bombers added two more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Ellie Murray started things off for IC with a single up the middle before Allie Colleran sent a single down the right field line, allowing Murray to reach third.
 
Laccona followed that up with a single down the left field line, scoring Murray. Colleran then added the Bombers' second run of the inning on a Vanessa Brown single to center, giving IC a 3-0 lead over the Thoroughbreds.
 
Skidmore came out strong in the top of the third inning to score two runs and cut IC's lead down to just a single run.
 
Adrianna Garcia and Nicole Rosner were both hit by pitches to start out the inning before Lizette Roman-Johnston singled to center field to load the bases. Garcia scored on a Karly Fishkin sacrifice fly to right and Rosner scored on a Hannah Paolucci single to left.
 
After several scoreless innings for both teams, Ithaca racked up two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Brown drew a walk to lead off the inning before stealing second base to put herself in scoring position. A Shields double to right center brought in Brown for the first run of the inning. Shields then scored on an Alex Wright double down the left field line to give IC a 5-2 advantage.
 
Ithaca added one final run in the bottom of the sixth for the exclamation point on the game. Annie Cooney led off with a single to second before advancing to second on a throwing error following an Allie Colleran hit. She then advanced to third and eventually scored on a Laccona sacrifice fly to center.
 
Both Colleran and Shields finished 2-for-4 on the day for IC. In the circle, Emily Holden earned the win after pitching a complete game with eight strike outs.
 
Game 2 | IC 8, Skidmore 3
 
The Bombers wasted no time in getting on the board during their first at-bat of the second game.
 
Colleran led off the IC with a single and advanced to second on an error to put herself in scoring position. She then scored on a Brown single for IC's first run of the game.
 
Anderson followed that up with a single to left field to bring in Brown before scoring on a Wright double to left center, giving the Bombers a 3-0 lead.
 
Skidmore answered back with three runs of its own in the top of the second inning. Emily Popp led off with a single to left field before Jill Strileckis sent a single down the left field line. Both runners advanced on a Maddie Nelson sacrifice. Rosner brought in both Popp and Strileckis with a three-run homer to left center, tying things up 3-3.
 
The bottom of the second proved to be offensively productive for the Bombers.
 
Murray led off with a double to center field before Colleran drew a walk. Ithaca took a three-run lead once again when Laccona drilled a homer over the center field fence, bringing in Murray and Colleran.
 
Ithaca added one more run in the second that started with a Shields double to left center. Anderson followed that up with her own double to left center, scoring Shields and giving the Bombers a 7-3 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Bombers added their final run of the day to take an 8-3 lead over the Thoroughbreds.
 
Brown singled to center field before advancing to second. Shields continued her offensive production with a double to bring in Brown.
 
As a team, the Bombers collected 11 hits in game two against Skidmore.
 
Laccona and Brown each went 2-for-4 while Shields and Anderson went 2-for-3. Beth Fleming earned the win on the mound for Ithaca, striking out 10 batters and allowing no runs in five innings of work.
 
The Bombers are back in action next weekend with two Liberty League road contests. On Saturday, Ithaca takes on St. Lawrence before facing Clarkson on Sunday. Both doubleheaders are slated to start at 1 p.m.