ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 21/19 Ithaca College baseball team will head down to Union, N.J. later this week to take on Westfield State at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 17 for the opening game of the NCAA Division III Regional at Kean University's Jim Hynes Baseball Stadium. Ithaca will be the top seed of the regional, while Westfield State is the four seed. Host Kean is the two seed and will play third-seeded Shenandoah University at 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

This weekend's regional is a four-team, double-elimination tournament and the winner will move on to play the winner of the Johns Hopkins Regional in Baltimore, Md. in the super regional next weekend, May 24-25, which will be a best-of-three series. This is the first year that the NCAA has moved to a regional/super regional format. Super regional winners advance to the World Series in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which runs from May 31 to June 5.

REGIONAL SCHEDULE (FRIDAY):
Game 1 – No. 21/19 Ithaca vs. Westfield State – 1 p.m. | Live Stats | Webcast
Game 2 – Kean vs. Shenandoah – 4:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Webcast

SATURDAY
Game 3 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 12 p.m. | Live Stats | Webcast
Game 4 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 3:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Webcast
Game 5 – Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4 – 7 p.m. | Live Stats | Webcast

SUNDAY
Game 6 – Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 – 12 p.m. | Live Stats | Webcast
Game 7 – If necessary – 3:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Webcast

Click here for the regional microsite

Click here for the 58-team championship

Click here for the d3baseball.com regional previews

TICKETS:
Daily Rate:
Adults - $10
Seniors/Veterans - $8
Students- $7
Children (Ages 2-12) - $5
Children under 2 – free

ITHACA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT:
This will be the 48th time in which the Bombers have competed in the NCAA Tournament. Ithaca made 10 appearances (1955, 1959, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974) prior to 1976, which is when the NCAA established Division III. IC is 126-95 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and has won two national titles – 1980 and 1988. Outside of the two championships, Ithaca has been the national runners-up on three other occasions – 1976, 1981 and 1986.

ITHACA VS. THE REGIONAL FIELD:
The Bombers have not played a team in this regional in 2019, but were scheduled to play Shenandoah on March 2. Those games were canceled due to inclement weather.

In the program's history, IC has played all three schools. The Bombers are 4-1 all-time vs. Westfield State, with the last matchup coming in 2007 in the regional tournament. IC happened to play Shenandoah last season at the Mideast Regional in Adrian, Mich. and came away with a 7-5 victory. Ithaca is 3-6 all-time against Kean with the last meeting coming in 2015.

ITHACA VS. THE NCAA FIELD:
IC went 5-2 against the field of 58 this season – 2-0 vs. Oswego, 2-0 vs. Susquehanna, 1-0 vs. Cortland, 0-1 vs. Chapman and 0-1 vs. Rochester.

THE 2019 CHAMPIONSHIP:
The NCAA selected 58 teams to compete in the 2019 Division III Baseball Championships on May 13. The field is comprised of 40 automatic bids and 18 at-large berths. Those 58 institutions are divided into 16 different regions across the country, with each regional winner advancing to the super regional on May 24-25. The College World Series in Cedar Rapids, Iowa takes place May 31-June 5.

Thirteen regionals feature four teams, while the other three have two schools. The four-team regionals are double-elimination and the two-team pods are best-of-five series.

BREAKING DOWN THE REGIONAL FIELD (BY SEED):

No. 21/19 Ithaca College Bombers (31-7)
Automatic Bid – Empire 8 Conference
The Bombers have been on a roll down the stretch as they have won 12 straight games and 19 of their last 21 contests. In fact, since returning from California, IC has gone 26-4. Ithaca's .816 winning percentage in 10th in the nation.

The Bombers possess one of the top power hitting lineups in all of Division III as IC ranks 16th in home runs (35) and 21st in slugging percentage (.473). IC's pitching staff is just as good with the 11th-most shutouts (6) in DIII, as well as the 16th-best ERA (3.23) in DIII, and ranks 18th in walks per nine innings (2.79) and 25th in WHIP (walks/hits per innings pitched) at 1.28. Most notably, the Bomber defense is second in the nation in doubles played turned per game at .92 and third overall in total double plays turned with 44.

Seven of the nine regular starter for Ithaca are batting over .300 this season, including a team-high .398 average by Buzz Shirley. Cam Fuoti (.371), Webb Little (.367), Adam Gallagher (.358), Garrett Callaghan (.345), Sam Little (.323) and Matt Carey (.302) are all hitting north of .300.

Gallagher, the Empire 8 Conference Tournament MVP, leads the team in RBI (35), runs scored (34) and home runs (8), while Fuoti has a team-high 49 hits and Shirley paces the offense with 14 doubles.

On the mound, Ithaca can turn to four legitimate starters. Empire 8 Pitcher of the Year, Emmett Dunn, leads the staff with a 1.75 ERA, 67 innings pitched and 60 strikeouts, and is 7-2 overall. Jake Binder has tossed 66.2 innings this season with five complete games, two shutouts (one combined no-hitter) and a 2.56 ERA with a 7-3 record. Tyler Hill is a perfect 7-0 on the mound this year with a 3.86 ERA over 63 innings of work and 49 strikeouts. Tom Cosentino sports a 5-1 record in 42.1 innings pitched and a 2.76 ERA.

Out of the bullpen, Matt Eiel has made 15 appearances and is 3-0 with three saves in 24.1 innings of work. Christian LaLomia owns a 2.08 ERA in 10 appearances, while Andrew Bailey has logged 15 innings over six appearances.

(RV) Kean University Cougars (29-14)
At-Large Bid – New Jersey Athletic Conference
The Cougars are 20-7 on their home field this season and are hitting .303 as a team. Kean is the definition of small ball in this regional, as the Cougars lead in the nation in sacrifice bunts with 78 and are 22nd in the country with 212 walks, to go along with 83 stolen bases. Defensively, Kean is third in double plays turned (44) and ninth in fielding percentage (.972), while the pitching staff owns the lowest opponents' batting average in the regional at .249.

Frank LoGiudice leads Kean with a .361 average and 57 hits, while John Carello paces the team with 42 runs scored, 15 doubles and 32 walks. Zachary Marzano also has 57 hits on the year, to go along with a team-high 37 RBI and four home runs. Nick Polizzano is the fourth Cougar with 50-plus hits (54), including 10 doubles. Derek Walker ranks third DIII with 16 sacrifice bunts and leads Kean with 15 stolen bases.

The Cougar pitching staff is led by Tyler Hopman, who has thrown 86.2 innings with 53 strikeouts and seven complete games. Despite the 4-6 record, Hopman owns a 2.80 ERA. LoGiudice also sees significant time on the mound with a 7-2 record over 68.1 innings pitched, while Chris Rossi (4-1, 40.2 IP), Daniel Chiusano (2.45 ERA, 3-2, 44 IP) and Bruce Weyand (4.28 ERA, 27.1 IP) look to be the other options in the starting rotation.

Bullpen relief will come from Kyle Gaeb (4-1, 6.08 ERA, 23.2 IP), RJ Jobin (3-0, 4.88 ERA, 24 IP), Justin Hernandez (11 APP, 3.81 ERA, 28.1 IP) and Marzano (2 SV, 2.45 ERA, 14.2 IP).

(RV) Shenandoah University Hornets (31-12)
Automatic Bid – Old Dominion Athletic Conference
The Hornets have the most potent offense in the regional with 449 hits, 306 runs scored, 266 RBI and 99 doubles. The 99 doubles ranks 11th in Division III, while their 29 home runs are 35th in the nation. Shenandoah enters the tournament winners of 12 of the last 13 games.

Shenandoah is batting .302 as a program and the player to look out for in this lineup is Keegan Woolford, who is hitting .325 with 14 doubles, 12 home runs, 32 walks and 49 RBI. Woolford is 12th in the country in home runs and 27th in RBI.

Tristan Baker leads the team with 63 hits and 43 runs, to go along with 12 doubles and 37 RBI. Luke Nussman and Robert Marcelle are tied for the team lead with 15 doubles each and a combined 102 hits (52 for Nussman, 50 for Marcelle).

Robert Klinchock is the ace on the staff with a 7-4 record, 3.94 ERA, 82.1 innings pitched and 61 strikeouts. Reeves Lowry has also eaten up a lot of innings this season with 60.1 to his credit with 50 strikeouts and a 3-4 record.

If the Hornets are winning a close games heading to the ninth inning, don't expect them to lose as Gerard DePhillips leads all of Division III with 13 saves. DePhillips has appeared in 18 games and has thrown 25 innings with 22 strikeouts and a 2.88 ERA.

Westfield State Owls (27-14)
Automatic Bid – Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference
The Owls rolled through their conference tournament by scoring 37 runs over four games to earn the automatic berth. Westfield State is hitting .299 as a team and will be led at the plate by Anthony Crowley, who is hitting .390 with nine home runs and 36 RBI.

Crowley is 11th in the country in on-base percentage at .532, while his .729 slugging percentage ranks 24th and his 36 walks are 20th.

Colin Dunn paces the offense with 49 hits, 37 runs scored and is second with 27 RBI, to go along with a .331 average. Nick Martin is batting .338 on the season with 48 hits and 33 runs, while Casey Boudreau is also hitting over .300 at .348 with 25 runs and 20 RBI.

Pitching wise, the Owls sport three solid starting arms. John Gegetskas, who tossed a no-hitter in the MASCAC Tournament, is 6-3 on the season with 83 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched and a 2.48 ERA. His five complete games are 17th in DIII, while the 83 strikeouts rank 23rd.

Shane Bogli is 8-2 on the year in 62 innings with a paltry 2.18 ERA and 44 strikeouts. Alex Honey is 6-0 with a 2.93 ERA in 46 innings of action.

Scott Strachan and Trevor Edwards are the top options in relief. Strachan has appeared in 21 games and is 3-0 with two saves in 24.1 innings pitched, while Edwards has thrown 16 innings over 15 appearances.

TEAM BATTING STATISTICS

	AVG.	RUNS	HITS	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SB
Ithaca	.312	287	404	86	9	35	260	182	29
Kean	.303	293	433	85	13	13	246	212	83
Shenandoah	.302	306	449	99	7	29	266	172	46
Westfield State	.299	267	392	56	11	19	234	190	75

TEAM PITCHING STATISTICS

	IP	ERA	CG	SHO	SV	HITS	SO	BB	AVG.
Ithaca	323	3.23	8	6	4	315	231	100	.255
Kean	386.2	3.54	8	5	7	356	275	184	.249
Shenandoah	376	5.24	4	3	19	425	284	171	.288
Westfield State	329.1	4.67	7	2	7	358	256	138	.280