Ithaca, N.Y. – The Ithaca College Softball team defeated RPI, 2-0, in the Liberty League Tournament Semifinals behind senior Beth Fleming's no-hitter. The no-hitter is the 18^th in program history and the second for Fleming this season.
 
Fleming walked two batters in the first inning, but was able to get out of it throwing her first two of seven strikeouts to get out of the inning. Gabby Laccona hit a leadoff single for Ithaca and Julia Loffredo reached first on a fielder's choice where Laccona was thrown out at second, but RPI starter Alexis Cooke was equally as potent in the circle, getting her first two strikeouts of the day to get out of the first.
 
Neither side got much going in the second inning as Fleming retired the side and Cooke recorded three strikeouts in a row for the Engineers. Fleming walked the first batter in the top of the third, but earned her third strikeout of the day while Cooke retired the side in the bottom of the third.
 
Fleming earned her fourth and fifth strikeouts of the day in the top of the fourth, but Ithaca couldn't get anything going in the bottom of the inning. The game really turned into a pitchers' duel in the fifth, as Fleming again retired the side and Cooke recorded her sixth and seventh strikeouts of the afternoon.
 
Fleming continued her dominance, retiring all three batters in the top of the sixth including her sixth strikeout of the day. The Bombers finally broke the ice in the bottom of the sixth after an RPI pitching change. After Laccona popped out to lead off, Allison Dell'Orto singled for Ithaca's second hit of the day. Julia Loffredo walked and Dell'Orto advanced to second.
 
In the middle of Haley Gaffney's at-bat, Dell'Orto took off for third base after a pitch and slid safely into third, but RPI's catcher overthrew third base, allowing Dell'Orto to make it home and Loffredo to reach third as Ithaca took a 1-0 lead. Gaffney was walked and Kailey Collins came up to bat next as Belle de Oliveira came in to pinch run for Gaffney. After a pitch the RPI catcher attempted to catch de Oliveira too far off first, but overthrew first base allowing Loffredo to reach home and extend Ithaca's lead to 2-0. Collins popped out and de Oliveira was thrown out to end the sixth.
 
Fleming took the circle to start the final inning and earned her seventh strikeout of the day on RPI's leadoff hitter. The next two batters grounded out to the infield as Fleming solidified her no-hitter and the Bombers advanced to the Liberty League Championship Game which will be at the University of Rochester on Saturday, May 15.