SCRANTON, Pa. - The Ithaca College Bombers traveled to Scranton, Pa. for its season-opening doubleheader to kick off the 2022 season. The Bombers began the day with a 2-1 loss to the Royals, but in the nightcap Ithaca rebounded and was victorious by a final score of 6-3.
 
Game One: University of Scranton 2, Ithaca 1
 
The Bombers failed to put a run across the board in the first inning after first year Dylan Delaney pinch ran for junior Allison Dell'Orto and was caught stealing third base to end the inning.
 
Scranton capitalized in the bottom of the first frame scoring a run off of an RBI from senior Heather Alich bringing in junior Alyssa Segnello.
 
Ithaca responded in the top of the second inning when junior Tava Kasper scored from third on a wild pitch.
 
The game would remain tied at 1-1 until the bottom of the third inning where Scranton would drive home what turned out to be the winning run. The run came as a result of a throwing error made by Ithaca's right fielder Daniella Mulvey. Jenna Davida scored for the Royals.
 
The Royals would hold onto their 2-1 lead into the seventh inning where Ithaca looked to make a comeback. Graduate student Emma Kindblom gave the Bombers hope getting on base with a single to right field. She moved to second off a wild pitch, where she would be stranded to end the game.
 
Emma Tirollo picked up the win on the mound for the Royals pitching five innings. She struck out four allowing one hit and one run. Courtney Wellet was credited with the save for Scranton, pitching two innings allowing only one hit and striking out two batters.
 
For Ithaca, pitcher Riley Piromalli was credited with the loss after pitching all six innings, allowing four hits and two runs. Piromalli struck out five batters.
 
Game Two: Ithaca 6, Scranton 3
 
The Bombers came out of the gates swinging in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. Ithaca put up four runs in the top of the second inning. Junior Kailey Collins scored after getting on base with a walk. Kindblom doubled to center field bringing in three more runs driving home Belle De Oliveria, Olivia Comolli and Hudson Hassler.
 
In the top of the third, the Bombers added a run growing their lead to 5-0. Senior Julia Loffredo doubled to left field. Loffredo was brought home on an infield fly out from Kailey Collins.
 
The game remained 5-0 in favor of Ithaca until the top of the fifth where Julia Loffredo doubled into left center. Loffredo scored off an RBI hit from Kailey Collins who doubled down the left field line growing the Bombers lead to six.
 
Scranton responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Heather Alich, Jessica Stadler and Jessica Indelicato all came home on unearned runs for the Royals.
 
The score remained 6-3 in favor of the Bombers for the remainder of the game giving Ithaca their first victory of the 2022 season.
 
First year Anna Cornell got the win on the mound for the Bombers. Cornell pitched five innings allowing three runs and seven hits. She faced 23 batters, striking out 10. Fellow first year pitcher Melody Kappel was credited with the save, pitching two innings allowing just one hit.
 
For Scranton, Emma Tirollo was credited with the loss after pitching 1.2 innings allowing two hits and four runs. Courtney Wellet faced the brunt of the workload for Scranton pitching 5.2 innings allowing two runs and four hits. Wellet tallied 10 strikeouts.
 
The Bombers will travel to Greensboro, N.C. to face Greensboro College on Sunday, March 13 for another doubleheader with the first pitch in the first game set for 1 p.m. followed by a 3 P.M. start.