ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College Softball Team is set to compete in the 2018 Division III Softball Championship in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma this weekend, for the first time since 2010. The Bombers face No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan to open up the series on Thursday morning at 11 a.m. (CST).
 
Ithaca earned a trip to the Championships after defeating familiar foe St. John Fisher in a best-of-three game series last weekend.
 
In the opening game of the series, IC came out to top the Cardinals, 4-3, in eight innings. Sophomore Abby Shields drilled a two-run homer to right center in the first inning to put the Bombers on top early. Fisher, however, came back to tie things up in the third inning on an Ashley Prince two-run double.
 
In the top of the eighth inning, Vanessa Brown led off with a single to right and moved forward on a Shields sacrifice bunt. She then scored on an Alex Wright single before Wright scored on a Hannah Anderson shot to center, giving IC a 4-2 lead. Fisher would come back to score one more run on an Emily Trotman sacrifice fly, but the Bombers held on to go ahead a game in the series.
 
The second game of the series proved to be different for IC, as Fisher took it, 4-0 behind a Lindsey Thayer no-hitter. The Cardinals put up runs in the first, fourth, sixth and seventh to win.
 
IC came out strong after the setback in game two, scoring two runs in the second inning to get on the board first.
 
Junior Annie Cooney sent a long single to center, which allowed Anderson and Nikkey Skuraton to score and give the Bombers a 2-0 lead. Fisher then put up a run in the bottom of the third inning on a Trotman fielder's choice.
 
In the top of the fourth, Cooney came through again, blasting a two-out, two-run homer to left field, pushing IC's lead to 4-1 over the Cardinals.
 
Fisher, however, proved to be resilient, as the Cardinals came back to score three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and tie the game. Prince once again drove in two runs – Emma Savas and Julia Sortisio – with a double to left center, before Sammie Torlish drove in Katie Mazierski with a double to left.
 
The Bombers added another run in the top of the sixth on a Skuraton double to left center, before sealing the deal in the top of the seventh. Shields, who was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament for the second weekend in a row, drilled a two-out, two-run homer to centerfield to put the Bombers ahead, 7-4, which held until the final out.
 
In similar fashion, the Bombers defeated Manhattanville in three games in Regional play the weekend before. Ithaca came out to beat Bay Path first, 4-0, before topping Manhattanville, 2-0 to head into the championship series. The Valiants defeated the Bombers, 6-5, in the first game of the series to force the if-necessary game.
 
Ithaca came out to score three runs in the first inning of the final game. Skuraton drove in Wright and Shields with a double to right center before scoring on an Anderson single to left.
 
The Bombers added three more runs in the top of the second inning to take a 6-0 lead. Brown reached on a dropped fly in center before scoring on a Gabby Laccona double to left center. Laccona went on to score on a Shields groundout before Skuraton drove in Wright to tack on another run.
 
Ithaca is no stranger to thrillers, as the Bombers won the Liberty League title on Saturday, May 5 in a 1-0, 12-inning victory over RPI.
 
Scouting Virginia Wesleyan
 
Virginia Wesleyan, which is currently 50-2, won the World Series last year and will be looking to defend that title in 2018. Last weekend in Super Regional Play, the Marlins defeated Berry in two games to earn the trip to Oklahoma City. In game one on Friday, Virginia Wesleyan came out to win 4-0. Due to rain, game two was split up into two games, but the Marlins came out on top, 7-6, in eight innings.
 
The Marlins are led by pitcher Hanna Hull, who has started 36 of her 41 appearances in the circle. She has pitched a total of 226.2 innings, has an ERA of 1.05 and has allowed just 45 runs. She has also struck out 316 batters, which is the top number in the NCAA.
 
Senior Cassetty Howerin leads the team with a .434 batting average. She has recorded a team-best 59 hits, scored 46 runs, collected seven homeruns and struck out just three times all season.
 
Scouting Texas-Tyler
 
Texas-Tyler is heading to the NCAA Championship for the fourth straight season and the seventh time in program history after defeating Linfield in last weekend's Super Regional. After falling, 3-0, in game one to Linfield, the Patriots came back to win game two, 7-2, which forced a third game. The Patriots then shut out Linfield, 2-0, to win the series and advance to the Championship.
 
Nicole Garcia leads Texas-Tyler with a .513 batting average. She has recorded 78 hits, 62 runs, 16 doubles, three triples, one homerun, 33 RBI and 103 total bases on the season. She also has a slugging percentage of .678 and an on-base percentage of .566.
 
Colleen Bentke is the top pitcher for the Patriots, having recorded 151.1 innings pitched on the season. She has made 30 appearances with 28 starts, has struck out 126 batters and has a 1.16 ERA on the season.
 
Scouting Rowan
 
Last weekend in the Super Regional, the Profs defeated Moravian in two games to earn a trip to the World Series.
 
After being rained out each day, the teams only started play on Sunday afternoon, with the possibility of playing three games in one day. The Profs did not need three games, however, has they took care of Moravian with two, 2-1 wins.
 
Carly Anderson leads Rowan with a .500 batting average as she has recorded 74 hits in 148 at-bats on the season. She has also scored 36 runs, tallied 18 doubles, on triple, five homeruns, 43 RBI and 109 total bases. She has struck out just five times this season.
 
Morgan Smith sits at a .394 batting average and has recorded 61 hits, 31 runs, 14 doubles, a team-high eight homeruns, 36 RBI and 99 total bases.
 
In the circle, Jess DeDomenico has a 1.04 ERA. She has appeared in 36 games making 28 starts and has a record of 23-7. She has pitched 181.2 total innings with 103 hits allowed and 161 strike outs.
 
Scouting MIT
 
For the second time in three seasons, MIT earned a trip to Oklahoma City after defeating Williams in last weekend's Super Regional. After coming out to win the first game, 4-3, MIT fell in the second game, 1-0, which forced a third game in the series. MIT came out to win, 7-5, in game three. After falling behind, the Engineers chipped away at a 4-1 lead to eventually take over in the fourth inning and hold on for the win.
 
Senior Amanda Lee leads MIT with a .366 batting average after recording 56 hits in 153 atbats. She has scored 35 runs, recorded 15 doubles, four triples, one homerun and 33 RBI. Sarah Von Ahn is close behind with a .364 batting average, 59 hits, 25 runs scored, 16 doubles, five triples, one homerun and 39 RBI.
 
In the circle, junior Ravenne Nasser has made 33 appearances with 37 starts and has a record of 21-4 on the season. She has pitched 166.1 innings, allowed 117 hits, and struck out 132 batters. She has a season ERA of 1.60.
 
Scouting Luther
 
For the fifth time in nine years, Luther reached the World Series. Last weekend in the Super Regional, Luther topped St. Thomas in three games. After winning the first game of the series, 3-1, Luther fell in game two to St. Thomas, 11-8. Luther then came out in the third game of the series to earn a 10-4 win. The Norse scored three runs in both the first and the second innings to take a lead before St. Thomas cut the lead down to just two. A two-run homer in the fourth inning sealed the deal for Luther.
 
Anna Strien leads the Norse with a .431 batting average. She has compiled 62 hits, 46 runs, 18 doubles, three triples, four homeruns, 46 RBI and 98 total bases on the season. She has also recorded just five strikeouts and drew 22 walks.
 
In the circle, Samantha Bratland has made 32 appearances and started in 28 games for Luther. She has a season ERA of 1.55 and a total of 185 innings pitched. She has allowed 123 hits, 51 runs and struck out 177 batters.
 
Scouting Illinois Wesleyan
 
Illinois Wesleyan will be making its third-straight appearance in the Championship after defeating Wisconsin-Whitewater in three games last weekend. The Titans fell in game one of the Super Regional, 1-0, before coming back to win game two, 7-0, and game three, 3-0. In game two, the Titans hit three homeruns, including one grand slam, to power past Wisconsin-Whitewater before coming back to drill another homerun to start things out in game three.
 
Sam Berghoff leads Luther with a .479 batting average, 70 hits and 12 homeruns. She has also scored 53 runs, recorded 19 doubles, four triples, 63 RBI and 133 total bases. She hit back-to-back homeruns in last weekend's Super Regional, including the grand slam in game two.
 
Ally Wiegand has made 28 appearances with 16 starts for the Titans and has a .91 ERA on the season. She also has a record of 17-4, has pitched 130.1 innings, allowed just 20 runs and struck out 202 batters.
 
Scouting Case Western Reserve
 
Case Western Reserve defeated Hope in three games in last weekend's Super Regional to earn the program's first-ever trip to the World Series. The Spartans came out to win the first game of the series, 3-2, before falling, 3-1, in game two to force a third game. CWRU took down hope, 4-1, in the final game of the series to earn the trip to Oklahoma City.
 
Although the Spartans got on the board first in game two, Hope went on to score three runs in the third inning to take the lead which would hold until the end of the game. CWRU bounced back in game two, scoring four runs in the fourth inning to take a lead. Hope scored in the bottom of the seventh on a solo homerun, but could not rally enough to tie things.
 
Senior Maren Waldner leads CWRU with a .461 batting average. She has recorded 76 hits in 165 at-bats, 40 runs, 15 doubles, one triple, two homeruns and 36 RBI. Senior Grace Tritchler has a .372 average with 58 hits, 38 runs, 14 doubles and a team-high six homeruns.
 
Sophomore pitcher Illissa Hamilton has appeared and started in 28 games in the circle, compiling a 20-6 record. She has pitched 170 innings, allowed 135 hits, 65 runs and struck out 178 batters. She has a season ERA of 2.47.
 
IC Leaders in NCAA Tournament
 
Throughout the NCAA Tournament, Shields and Laccona lead the Bombers with a .409 batting average. Both players have recorded nine hits in 22 at-bats with two doubles apiece. Shields has also accounted for one triple, three homeruns, nine RBI and 22 total bases.
 
Wright has a .389 batting average through the course of the tournament, having collected seven hits, including one double. She has also recorded four RBI and scored six runs.
 
Junior pitcher Haley Congdon has appeared six times with four starts and three wins in the circle for the Bombers. She has an ERA of 1.56 in the NCAA Tournament, has pitched 27 total innings and struck out 18 batters.
 
Ithaca vs. World Series field
 
The Bombers have face one team this season – Rowan – that also made it to the World Series. IC took on the Profs in their fifth game of the season in Florida, falling 6-1. Ithaca also hosted Rowan in the NCAA Super Regional in 2016.
 
The last time IC has played any of the other teams in the Championship was in 2010, as the Bombers faced Luther in the World Series in Eau Claire, Wisconsin that year.
 
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