CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team found itself in a pair of high-scoring affairs on Saturday at Gutchess Lumber Sports Complex as IC split a non-league doubleheader against RIT. Ithaca dropped the opener, 12-5, but claimed the nightcap, 14-8. IC is now 5-4 on the season.

GAME ONE: RIT 12, Ithaca 5

RIT jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first behind four straight hits. A lead-off walk started things off and then the Tigers stroked a pair of singles, a ground-rule double and triple to bring in the four runs. Sophomore Gil Merod accounted for two of the outs for the IC defense, as he threw a pair of runners out at second base.

In the bottom of the first, Ithaca quickly loaded the bases behind hits from first-year Louis Fabbo and senior Buzz Shirley, and a hit by pitch to senior Garrett Callaghan. The Bombers got on the board in the next at bat as first-year Alex Barker-Hook drove in Fabbo with a single to right, but only managed to score that lone run as the next three batters were unable to move the runners.

RIT pushed two more runs across in the second to build a 6-1 advantage. A pair of walks to begin the frame came around to score on a ground out and double.

IC responded in the bottom of the second with two runs to cut its deficit to 6-3. Senior Sam Kinum started the rally with a ground-rule double and later scored on an error. Shirley then drove in Fabbo with a double to left-center.

The Tigers continued to hang crooked numbers in the third as a two-out bases loaded single through the right side plated a pair of runs to make the score 8-3.

Ithaca scored once in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI base hit from senior Jack Lynch that brought home Callaghan to get back to within four runs at 8-4. IC had runners on the corners with an out but lined into a double play to end the threat.

RIT went back up by five runs in the top of the seventh, 9-4, on a sacrifice fly to left. The Tigers then put the opener out of reach in the eighth with three more runs to establish a 12-4 edge.

IC added a run in the ninth on a sac fly from Fabbo that brought in first-year Colin Shashaty, who legged out a triple.

Sophomore Matt Chase took the loss in 1.1 innings of work. Chase struggled out of the gate and allowed six runs on four hits and five walks. Graduate student Charlie Hammel tossed the next 4.2 innings and surrendered two runs with four strikeouts. Sophomore Tyler Edelman, first-years Sean Kelly and Bo Nicholson and senior Brett Budzak combined to finish out the game on the mound.

GAME TWO: Ithaca 14, RIT 8

RIT began the nightcap just like the opener by jumping on the Bombers early and hanging five runs on the board.

IC got on the board in the bottom of the first as Shirley stroked a double to left and then stole third and scored on an error. The Bombers scratched another run across on an RBI groundout by senior Aaron Shoemaker, which brought in Lynch, who walked and moved over to third on a stolen base and passed ball.

The Bombers continued to chip away in the third as Shirley doubled in sophomore Mike Nauta to make the score 5-3, but IC was unable to push anything else across with two runners in scoring position and no outs.

Ithaca maintained its momentum into the fourth as junior Matt Smith drove in first-year Matt Fabian with a single up the middle. A Fabbo sac fly that brought home Shoemaker knotted the contest at 5-5 heading to the fifth inning.

RIT responded to IC's five-run comeback with three runs in the sixth inning. The Tigers capitalized on two IC errors in the inning to regain the lead at 8-5.

Fabbo pushed another run home in the bottom half of the sixth with a line shot to left, which plated Shoemaker. The Bombers would leave the bases loaded, however, and did not score again in the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, IC came out firing as Merod led off with a single and then Lynch roped a base hit to right and moved up to second on a bobble. Fabian the tied the game back up, this time 8-8, on a two-run double to right field, forcing RIT to make a pitching change. The Bombers took the lead, 9-8, on an infield single from Shashaty and Fabian scooted home.

The inning continued as Fabbo drove a sac fly to center to bring in Shashaty and then Callaghan reached on an infield single as Nauta crossed the plate to build IC an 11-8 lead. IC would score three more runs in the frame to cap off an eight-run outburst and took a 14-8 edge to the eighth. Lynch drove in two with a single off the pitcher and Shoemaker picked up another RBI on a bases loaded walk for the final run of the game.

Junior Kyle Lambert started Game Two and tossed 5.1 innings in a no decision. Lambert gave up eight runs (four earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts. Sophomore Garrett Bell picked up the win in 2.2 innings of relief as he shut down the Tigers with three strikeouts and only one hit allowed. First-year Dom Trippi closed out the game with three strikeouts in the ninth.

The Bombers are scheduled to play St. Lawrence back at Gutchess on April 7.