ITHACA, N.Y. - The Ithaca College softball team defeated Union College in game one of a conference doubleheader April 14 with a score of 8-2. The second game was suspended in the fifth inning due to heavy rain and will be finished on Thursday afternoon at Union.
 
With the win, Ithaca remains undefeated in conference play with a 7-0 record and an 18-5-1 overall record.
 
After both wins, Ithaca celebrated Senior Day for its eight seniors. Those honored in the ceremony were seniors Hannah Anderson, Nikkey Skuraton, Haley Congdon, Vanessa Brown, Alex Wright, Alex Kimmel, Ellie Murray and Annie Cooney.
 
Game 1 | Ithaca 8, Union 2
 
The Bombers struck first in the bottom of the first inning when they took a 2-0 lead. Brown led the inning off with a double to left field which was then followed by a Skuraton single to left center. Wright hit a sac fly to center field which caused Brown to score. After Skuraton stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, junior Abby Shields singled up the middle to score Skuraton.
 
In the bottom of the second, Cooney singled to right field and then stole second to put herself in scoring position. Brown singled to right field for her second hit of the game to score Cooney and extend the Ithaca lead to 3-0.
 
Union bounced back in the top of the third inning when junior Kayla Fisher led the inning off with a walk. A successful bunt by Julissa Malana, followed by a dropped fly ball by Cooney led Union to have the bases load with no outs. Dana Dolinko hit into a fielder's choice which allowed one run to score and then Julia Boule grounded out to second which scored the second run of the inning. At the end of the third, Ithaca led 3-2.
 
The Ithaca offense erupted in the bottom of the third inning to extend the lead. Hannah Anderson started the inning with a double to right field. Sophomore Gabby Laccona got her first hit of the day with a single to right field which advanced Anderson to third. After Laccona stole second, with two outs, Cooney doubled to left field to extend the Ithaca lead 5-2.
 
In the next at bat, Brown hit a home run to left center for her third hit of the day and her team-leading fifth home run of the season. At the end of the third inning, the Bombers led 7-2.
 
Ithaca scored its eighth and last run of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Wright got things started for the Bombers when she doubled to left center. After advancing to third on a ground out, Laccona doubled to left field which led Wright to cross home plate.
 
Brown paved the way for the Bombers as she went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Cooney went 2-for-3 with two RBI in the game as well.
 
Picking up the win for the Bombers was Emily Holden after she replaced Congdon and pitched the last four innings of the game. She finished with two strikeouts and only one hit allowed to make her overall record 5-2.
 
Game 2 | Ithaca 1, Union 0 (5 innings)
 
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when Ithaca scored first. Skuraton started the inning with a single to left field and advanced to second on Wright's bunt. Skuraton advanced to third when Abby Shields hit a sac fly to right field. Anderson singled to right field, which led Skuraton to score and make the lead 1-0.
 
When the game was suspended, Brown, Skuraton and Anderson each had one hit.

The Bombers are back in action on Wednesday with a doubleheader at Cortland at 3/5 p.m. before wrapping up the series at Union on Thursday.