ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team avenged a one-run loss to Bard College yesterday at Cornell University's Hoy Field with a pair of one-run victories on Saturday, 4-3 and 3-2, in a Liberty League doubleheader. The Bombers are now 17-6 on the season and 5-3 in the Liberty League.

GAME ONE: Ithaca 4, Bard 3 (7 Innings)

The Bombers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning as Buzz Shirley ripped a one-out double to the left-center gap to bring home Mike Nauta, who reached on a lead-off walk. Two batters later, the lead grew to 3-0 as Connor Pedersen drilled a two-run home run to left field.

In the top of the third inning, Bard plated two runs without producing a hit to make the score 3-2. After a strikeout to begin the inning, the Raptors were hit on back-to-back plate appearances and then a run scored on a double steal and error. Two more walks loaded the bases and a sacrifice fly to right field brought home the second run of the inning. Bard continued to threaten with another walk to keep the bases loaded, but the inning ended on a fielder's choice.

A 30-minute rain delay halted play heading to the bottom of the third. The Bombers put two runners in scoring position after play resumed but a groundout to third base kept IC off the board.

Bard knotted the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth with a two-out single to left. IC retired the first two batters of the frame, but an infield single followed by a wild pitch set up the RBI base hit.

IC regained the lead, 4-3, in the bottom half of the fifth on a sac fly to right off the bat of Ethan Rothstein. Pedersen led off the inning with a ringing double to left-center and moved up to third on a fly out by Matt Fabian to right, which set up the sac fly for Rothstein.

The Bombers loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth with two outs, but Bard got out of the jam with a pop out to shortstop to keep the game at 4-3.

In the top of the seventh, Bard led off with an infield single to knock Nate Scott from the game and Garrett Bell entered in relief. The next batter laid down a sacrifice bunt and then a hit by pitch put another runner on. After a pair of stolen bases put both Bard runners in scoring position, Bell ended the contest with a strikeout and groundout.

Scott improved to 3-2 on the season as he struck out four batters over 6.0 innings pitched. Bell earned his first save of the season.

GAME TWO: Ithaca 3, Bard 2

In the nightcap, IC went up 1-0 in the bottom of the first as Pedersen drove in Nauta with a single to left-center. Nauta led off the frame with a base hit to right-center and moved into scoring position on a passed ball.

Bard tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the sixth with an RBI double off the wall in left field. Luckily for the Bombers, the ball didn't clear the fence or Bard would have taken a 3-1 lead but escaped tied at 1-1 after Colin Leyner notched a strikeout and flyout to retire the side and strand two runners in scoring position.

IC responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth as Ryan Laubscher ripped a pinch hit RBI triple down the right field line to bring home Matt Fabian from first base and then Laubscher scored on a passed ball.

Bard got another run back in the top of the seventh on back-to-back doubles to make the score 3-2. After Leyner recorded the first out on a pick off at first, he allowed a double and was lifted from the game after 7.1 innings of work with seven strikeouts. Leyner allowed six hits and two earned runs as he was responsible for the runner on second after Erislandy Rives entered in relief and gave up a double to the first batter he faced.

Rives slammed the door shut in the ninth as he picked a runner off, induced a groundout and struck the final batter out looking to earn his second save of the season.

The Bombers will host No. 6 Cortland on April 13 at 4 p.m.