ITHACA PRESS CONFERENCE | WILLIAMS PRESS CONFERENCE

ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team fell in the NCAA Super Regional to Williams, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon to end its season. The Bombers finish the 2019 slate 28-9-1.
 
The loss ends the storied career of Hall of Fame Head Coach Deb Pallozzi, who is retiring after 31 seasons at the helm of the Bombers' softball program. She finishes with an 886-412-2 record over those 31 seasons, highlighted by a National Championship in 2002, as well as 30 consecutive winning seasons and 25 NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
After a loss yesterday in game one of the Super Regional, Ithaca came out firing on all cylinders against the Ephs.
 
Senior Nikkey Skuraton drew a walk to lead off before stealing second to put herself in scoring position. Senior Alex Wright then sent a single up the middle to plate Skuraton for the first run of the game.
 
Senior Vanessa Brown reached base on a fielder's choice play and then stole second. Brown was driven in by Haley White to give the Bombers a 2-0 cushion in the top of the first inning.
 
In the bottom of the third inning, however, Williams struck, scoring two runs to tie things up.
 
Riley Salvo hit a lead-off single through the left side but was out on the next play, a Jenny Hickey fielder's choice. With two outs, Rebecca Duncan drew a walk to put Hickey in scoring position. Both Hickey and Duncan scored on a long double from Jessica Kim.
 
The Ephs put up two more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 4-2 lead over Ithaca.
 
Mara Kipniss led off with a single to right center before Mackenzie Murphy hit a double to left center to put both runners in scoring position.
 
On the next play, Kirstin Mapes grounded out to second base, but Kipnis had enough time to score to give Williams a one-run lead. The Ephs extended that to two runs on a Casey Pelz single up the middle that scored Murphy.
 
The Bombers answered back in the top of the fourth as Annie Cooney sent a home run over the left field fence, cutting Williams' advantage to 4-3.
 
After stranding two Williams' runners in the bottom of the sixth, the Bombers looked to rally in the top of the seventh.
 
Shannon Grage led off with a walk and Julia Loffredo, who pinch ran for Grage, moved to second on a Haley Gaffney sacrifice bunt. The Ephs' pitcher, Duncan, struck out the final batter of the inning to end the game.
 
Cooney finished 1-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI while Wright went 1-for-2 with one RBI.
 
Kim led the way for the Ephs, going 2-for-3 with two RBI on the day.
 
In addition to Pallozzi, the Bomber softball program will also say goodbye to its eight seniors – Hannah Anderson, Nikkey Skuraton, Haley Congdon, Vanessa Brown, Alex Wright, Alex Kimmel, Ellie Murray and Annie Cooney. The class of 2019 has compiled a career record of 131-44-1 to go along with three conference championships, four NCAA Regional appearances, three trips to the NCAA Super Regional and last season's trip to the World Series.
 
Williams advances to next weekend's NCAA Division III Championship in Tyler, Texas. The Ephs will join Eastern Connecticut State, St. Thomas (Minn.) and Trine, along with the winners of Carthage/Illinois Wesleyan, Emory/Lynchburg, Linfield/Texas Lutheran and Christopher Newport/Randolph-Macon.