ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team dropped a 9-8 decision to Bard College at Cornell University's Hoy Field on Friday afternoon. Ithaca led, 7-1, after two innings of play, but the Raptors continued to battle and capitalized on five Ithaca errors to come away with the victory. IC and Bard square off tomorrow for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. at Hoy Field.

Bard jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Bombers answered with four runs on three hits to take a 4-1 advantage.

Mike Nauta led off the first with a double to right field and then the bases would quickly load as Nicholas Cutaia walked and Buzz Shirley was hit by a pitch. Gil Merod then stepped to the plate and drove home two runs on a base hit through the left side of the infield to make the score 2-1. After two outs were recorded, back-to-back wild pitches allowed Shirley to score and then Ethan Rothstein drove home Merod with a base hit to centerfield to cap off the frame.

Ithaca extended its lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the second inning as Shirley stroked a two-run double to right, which plated Nauta and Riley Brawdy, and then Shirley scored on a base hit to center by Merod.

The Raptors trimmed its deficit down to 7-4 in the top of the third as the first run scored on a bases loaded error and then two more scored on a single to left-center. Bard plated another run in the top of the fourth to make the score 7-5, as a one-out single came around to score after a pair of stolen bases and a wild pitch.

In the top of the sixth, Bard pulled to within a run, 7-6, on an RBI double that hit off the wall in left field. That batter, turned runner, would be retired a few pitches later trying to advance to third on a ball in the dirt and the score remained 7-6 in favor of IC.

Bard tied the game up at 7-7 in the top of the seventh as three Ithaca errors allowed a run to score. The Raptors took the lead in the top of the eighth, 9-7, as a double steal, accompanied by a throwing error, put Bard ahead and then another run crossed the plate on a wild pitch.

In the bottom of the ninth, Shirley blasted a one-out solo home run to rightfield to pull the Bombers to within a run at 9-8, but that was the closest IC could get as a flyout to right-center with runners on the corners ended the game.

Shirley drove in three runs and scored three more in a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Merod also had three RBI as he went 3-for-5. Nauta was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Kyle Lambert tossed 5.1 innings and allowed six runs (four earned) on seven hits in a no-decision. Lambert struck out four in the outing and issues four walks. Ethan Buckley cleaned up the top half of the sixth with a pop out and ground out and went on to throw 2.0 innings of relief as he took the loss.

Erislandy Rives tossed the final 1.2 innings of relief and did not allow a hit.