ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team split with RPI on Sunday afternoon at Kostrinsky Field. The Engineers came out to win game one, 6-2, before IC bounced back in game two for a 5-2 victory.
 
Ithaca is now 23-7-1 on the season with an 11-1 mark in the Liberty League.
 
Game 1 | RPI 6, Ithaca 2
 
The Engineers came out firing on all cylinders to put up three runs in the first inning.
 
Veronica DeStefano got things going with a lead-off single to left and advanced to second on a Jessica Torch sacrifice bunt. Allie Hunt then doubled down the left field line to score DeStefano for the first run of the game.
 
Erin Askins followed that with a single up the middle to advance Hunt to third, before Maddie Provencher scored Hunt with a ground out to third base. Askins scored the final run of the inning when Steph Cavallaro sent a double down the left field line.
 
The Bombers came out in the top of the second inning to score two runs. Hannah Anderson sent a single to centerfield before sophomore Haley White drilled her third home run of the season over the left field fence. Ithaca then trailed RPI, 3-2.
 
RPI scored the remainder of its runs in the bottom of the second inning, starting with a Quin Garant double to left field. DeStefano then hit a home run to left center field, plating Garant and giving the Engineers a 5-2 advantage.
 
Following an Ithaca pitching change, Torch reached base on a throwing error before Hunt was hit by a pitch. Askins moved both runners over with a sacrifice bunt and another run finally crossed the plate on a Provencher RBI, which scored Torch.
 
The top of the sixth inning looked promising for the Bombers, but they could not convert their hits into a score. Gabby Laccona started a rally with a single to left field and Alex Wright followed that with another single to left. Both runners, however, were left stranded after two quick outs the end the inning.
 
Laccona, Wright, Anderson and White each went 1-for-3 to finish the game. DeStefano headlined the game for RPI, going 4-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
 
Game 2 | Ithaca 6, RPI 2
 
RPI got on the board first in game two. DeStefano led off with a single up the middle and advanced on a Torch sacrifice bunt. Askins then singled through the right side to score DeStefano and go up, 1-0.
 
After a scoreless second inning, Ithaca put up three runs in the top of the third inning.
 
Vanessa Brown got things going with a single to right field before Laccona singled up the middle. Wright then reached on a fielder's choice play to put runners on first and second. Abby Shields plated all runners with a home run to right field, bringing in both Laccona and Wright to put IC up, 3-1.
 
RPI added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut Ithaca's lead to just one run. The lone run of the inning came when Cam Caswell sent a solo shot over the right field.
 
The Bombers pushed across two more runs in the top of the sixth inning to create some distance between the two teams.
 
First-year Daniella Mulvey led off with a solo home run to left center field to give the Bombers a 4-2 lead.
 
Sam Troetti followed that up with a walk and moved forward on a Kaitlin Maniscalco sacrifice bunt. Annie Cooney then drew a walk before Laccona doubled down the left field line, scoring Troetti.
 
In the bottom of the seventh inning, RPI had the tying run at the plate but IC ended things before any runs crossed the plate. Torch reached base on a fielder's choice play before Askins singled to short to put two runners on. However, Beth Fleming struck out the final batter of the day, Provencher, to preserve the win.
 
Laccona led the way for IC in game two, finishing 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Both Brown and Shields went 2-for-4.
 
Fleming picked up her 10^th win of the year, pitching a full game with seven hits, five strike outs and just two runs.
 
The Bombers now turn their attention to the 2019 Liberty League Tournament, which starts on Thursday and will be held at Kostrinksy Field.