UNION, N.J. – The nationally ranked No. 21/19 Ithaca College baseball team had its 12-game winning streak come to an end in the opening game of the NCAA Division III Union, N.J. Regional as Westfield State University topped the Bombers, 4-2, on Friday afternoon at Kean University's Jim Hynes Stadium. Ithaca is now 31-8 on the season and will have to play through the elimination bracket for the remainder of the regional to keep its season alive.
Westfield State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after a lead-off hit by pitch came around to score. After the first out of the inning was recorded, the three hitter for the Owls singled and then both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. The lead runner came home a few pitches later a groundout to second base.
Ithaca managed to put a runner on in the bottom of the first inning as senior
Webb Little singled to left but he was unable to move around the bases.
IC put together its first real opportunity to tie or take the lead in the bottom of the third as senior
Matt Carey led off with a single. After a fielder's choice, senior
Garrett Snyder sent a base hit to center to place two runners on with an out, but another fielder's choice and groundout ended the threat.
The Owls added a run in the top half of the fifth to make the score 2-0. A one-out base hit started things off and then found their way to third after a stolen base and throwing error. The next Westfield State hitter ripped a single through the left side to establish the two-run lead.
The Bombers finally got to Westfield's starter, John Gegetskas, in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at 2-2. Senior
Andrew Bailey led off with a pinch hit single and then senior
Matt Carey followed with a walk. Sophomore
Jack Lynch laid down a sac bunt to move the runners over, but the throw to first went wide and Lynch was ruled safe to load the bases. After a strikeout, W. Little singled to the pitcher and two runners came home to score on a throwing error at the plate to tie the game.
It seemed that momentum had shifted to the Bombers after that as an intentional walk once again loaded the bases with an out, but an infield fly to second base and a pop out to third stranded the bases loaded.
The inability to push another run home swung the momentum back to the Owls and they scored a run in the eighth and another in the ninth to regain a two-run lead at 4-2. In the eighth, Westfield strung together back-to-back singles to knock senior
Emmett Dunn out of the game with one out. Senior
Matt Eiel entered in relief and immediately induced a groundball to short, but IC could not turn the double play and a Westfield runner scored all the way from second base.
Dunn took the loss in 7.1 innings pitched with nine hits allowed and three runs (one earned) with two strikeouts. Eiel finished off the game in 1.2 innings pitched.
In the ninth, the Owls loaded the bases on a hit by pitch and two singles with no outs. The first out was recorded at the plate on a groundball, but the next Westfield batter lifted a sac fly to centerfield to bring in the final run of the contest.
W. Little went 2-for-5 in the loss with an RBI, while Snyder, Bailey and Carey each had a hit.
The Bombers will look to stay alive tomorrow with a 12 p.m. game against the loser of Kean and Shenandoah. If Ithaca wins that contest, it will play again tomorrow night at 7 p.m.
