ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team got back on the winning track with a pair of victories over Union College, 7-1 and 3-1, on Saturday at Kostrinsky Field. Ithaca is now 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the Liberty League.

GAME ONE: ITHACA 7, UNION 1

Ithaca started strong in Saturday's doubleheader versus Union College, getting on the board early after the Dutchwomen had a scoreless first at-bat. Senior Gabby Laccona led off for the Bombers with a hard-hit double down the left field line to put herself in scoring position and advanced to third thanks to a fly out off the bat of sophomore Allison Dell'Orto.
 
Graduate student Haley White smoked a double to right field for her third of the season to score Laccona and pick up a run for the Bombers. Graduate student Haley Gaffney hit a single to right field to send White home, capping Ithaca's lead at two runs for the first inning.
 
Ithaca's senior pitcher Beth Fleming had a rocky start in the top of the second with a hit batter and a walk but was able to hold her team's two-run lead after striking out a Union batter with the bases loaded to end the at-bat. The Bombers kept Union at bay and picked up a single run in the second with Laccona slamming a homer down the left field line.

Fleming went the distance and struck out five batters in her third win of the season.
 
Junior Julia Loffredo brought that momentum into the third inning for Ithaca and hit a homerun to left-center on the first pitch. Three batters later, sophomore Kailey Collins followed in Loffredo's footsteps. The Bombers went into the fourth leading the Dutchwomen, 6–0.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, Union was able to make an appearance on the scoreboard with sophomore Tara Harnett crossing the plate. Ithaca shut down the possibility of another run with a double play to end the scoring chances for the Dutchwomen.
 
Ithaca broke even in the next at-bat with a trio of hits, helping to score first-year Belle de Oliveira to bring the Bombers' lead to 7–1. That score would stand after uneventful sixth and seventh innings, handing the Bombers their fifth win of the season to head into the second half of the double header.
 

GAME TWO: ITHACA 3, UNION 1


Quick innings and solid defense highlighted the second matchup of the afternoon with the only run for the first half of the game coming in the second inning for Union, a homerun from senior Makayla Koehler.
 
The Bombers were able to lockdown the defense for the majority of play and finally delivered on offense in the fifth inning. Gaffney had a near homerun during her at-bat, hitting the left-center fence for an impressive double. Junior Daniella Mulvey put herself on base with a walk and Ithaca took advantage of having two runners on the diamond.
 
de Oliveira scored on a single from sophomore Tava Kasper and Laconna's fly-out to right field sent Collins across the plate to put the Bombers ahead 2–1. White picked up another RBI on a sac fly in the sixth. That would be the final outcome of the game with the last three innings compiled of easy outs.

Gaffney capped of the day with a 3-for-3 nightcap, while sophomore Riley Piromall earned the win in the circle with four strikeouts over seven innings.
 
The Bombers will play another doubleheader against Union College on Sunday, April 11, in Schenectady, N.Y.