ITHACA PRESS CONFERENCE | WILLIAMS PRESS CONFERENCE

ITHACA, N.Y. – The No. 10 Ithaca College softball team fell to No. 4 Williams College, 1-0, in the first game of this weekend's best-of-three Super Regional. The Bombers are now 28-8-1 on the season and will need to win two tomorrow in order to advance.
 
Ithaca struggled at the plate against the Ephs, stringing together just two hits, both from senior Nikkey Skuraton, who finished 2-for-2 on the day.
 
Skuraton singled through the left side with one out in the bottom of the first inning, but was ultimately called out on an Alex Wright fielder's choice play.
 
In the top of the second inning, Williams' Kirstin Mapes drew a lead-off walk before advancing on a Riley Salvo single through the left side. With two runners on, Beth Fleming struck the final two batters of the inning out, keeping the Ephs off the board.
 
Williams, however, put up a run in the top of the third inning, which would ultimately be the game-winner. With two outs, Mara Kipnis singled to left center and scored on a Mackenzie Murphy double to right field to put the Ephs up, 1-0.
 
In the bottom of the third, Skuraton struck again, sending a single up the middle, but was left stranded.
 
Williams was knocking on Ithaca's door in the top of the sixth inning. Murphy led off with a single up the middle to get things going for the Ephs. Mapes then singled up the middle to put a runner in scoring position. Both runners moved up a base when Gabi Medvene-Cirigliano laid down a sacrifice bunt.
 
With two runners in scoring position, the Bombers defense stayed strong and put together a double play to end the inning. Riley Salvo grounded out to first base and Wright fired a shot to second to catch the runner for the final out.
 
Ithaca looked like it might come back in the bottom of the seventh inning.
 
Hannah Anderson was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Haley White then drew a walk to put two runners on, but a strikeout and a fly out to left field ended the Bombers' hopes of a win.
 
Fleming was charged with the loss, falling to 12-3 on the season. She struck out seven Williams' batters in five innings of work.
 
Murphy led the way for the Ephs, finishing 2-for-3 with the lone RBI of the day. Rebecca Duncan (15-2) picked up the win in the circle for Williams, striking out five and allowing no runs.
 
The Bombers and Ephs return to action tomorrow for a 1 p.m. start time with the if-necessary game starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of game one.