ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team dominated RPI on Friday in the semifinals of the Liberty League Championship, defeating the Engineers, 8-0, in six innings. With the win, IC advances to Saturday's final to face Rochester.
 
Rochester topped RPI, 6-3, in the second game of the day to advance to Saturday. Ithaca needs just one win to secure a Liberty League title for the second year in a row, while Rochester will need to win two after suffering a loss on Thursday.
 
In the bottom of the first, Nikkey Skuraton got things started for the Bombers with a single to second base and advanced to third when Alex Wright singled through the right side. Abby Shields reached on a fielder's choice and the speedy Skuraton was able to score to put the Bombers up 1-0.
 
The Engineers did not have much luck the first two innings, but the Bombers continued to hit like champs. In the bottom of the second inning, first-year Daniella Mulvey doubled to center field, and a double from senior captain Vanessa Brown got her home for the score. Skuraton followed with a double to left center to send Brown home to put IC up 3-0.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Engineers strung together a series of hits and had runners on first and second, but pitcher Emily Holden and the Bombers defense kept RPI off the board.
 
The bottom of the fifth proved to be big inning for Ithaca. Skuraton singled up the middle to make her 3-for-3 on the afternoon. Senior Alex Wright then singled through the left side and advanced on the throw and Skuraton advanced to third.
 
Abby Shields then drove in Skuraton with a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 4-0. Mulvey kept her big afternoon going with a triple to right center field and Laccona and Wright both made it home to make it 6-0.
 
After leaving a RPI runner stranded in the top of the sixth inning, the Bombers secured the win with another offensively productive showing in the bottom of the inning.
 
Annie Cooney led off with a double to left center and headed to third on a Brown single. Skuraton was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Bombers before Wright hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Cooney. Both Brown and Skuraton scored on a Shields' double down the left field line, putting IC up, 8-0, and ending the game early.
 
Skuraton finished the day 3-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Mulvey went 2-for-2 with two RBI, a double and a triple. Cooney and Wright both finished the day 2-for-3 while Brown went 2-for-4 in the victory.

In the circle, Beth Fleming picked up her 12th win of the year (12-2) and Holden earned the save, her second of the season.
 
Ithaca advances to championship Saturday for the second time in as many years since joining the Liberty League last year. The Bombers will face Rochester at 12 p.m. with an if-necessary game slated for 2:30 p.m.