ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Ithaca College softball team squared off against Skidmore in the first elimination game of the Liberty League Championship tournament and IC was able to record a 7-0 shutout victory on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the Bombers set up their fourth matchup of the season with RPI as the winner earned the right to move onto the championship game(s). The Bombers were down to their final out, but Tava Kasper sent it to extras with a solo homer over the left field fence. Ithaca ended up falling 5-2 to the Engineers who will now move on to take on the No. 1 seeded University of Rochester.

Ithaca 7, Skidmore 0 (F)
Riley Piromalli once again got the start in the pitching circle for the Bombers and the junior hurler got off to a fantastic opening inning retiring Skidmore in order. Ithaca plated the opening run in the bottom half of the frame using smart base running. Allison Dell'Orto reached on a throwing error by the Thoroughbreds, advanced to second on the same sequence and scored when Julia Loffredo singled in the infield. Loffredo dashed to second allowing Dell'Orto to score. IC then made it 2-0 when Loffredo scored on the second error of the inning as Skidmore was unable to successfully field the sacrifice bunt attempt in time. The final run of the inning was scored when Hudson Hassler slapped an RBI single to center field that scored Sela Scheinman.

Skidmore had an immediate response with Kaitlyn Judd working a four pitch walk that was followed by a Genesis Delgado double to open the second inning. After a visit in the circle from coach Hannah Quintana, Piromalli settled in and forced a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to get out of the jam unscathed.

After two-straight scoreless innings, Ithaca made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Allison Dell'Orto drove in Emma Kindblom on an RBI single to center field. With the four-run advantage, Anna Cornell entered the game in the top of the sixth in the relief of Riley Piromalli who finished with four strikeouts in 5.0 innings pitched.

Cornell gave up two-straight two-out hits but got out of the top half of the sixth by getting Hannah Davis to fly out to right fielder Hudson Hassler. In the bottom half of the frame, the Bombers made the most of four errors as they scored three more runs. Anna Cornell worked a perfect top of the seventh as Ithaca eliminated Skidmore with the 7-0 victory.

RPI 5, Ithaca 2 (F-9)
The Engineers were quickly able to put runners on first and second base after an IC fielding error and a Gabby Comeau single, but those runners were left stranded with Riley Piromalli striking out Alex Ledger and getting Liv Vizzini to ground out to Sela Scheinman. In the bottom of the first, Allison Dell'Orto drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Engineers catcher but she was left stranded when Scheinman struck out swinging to end the inning.

Both Piromalli and Engineer's pitcher Brooke Sroczinski settled into grooves as the game was scoreless going into the bottom of the fourth frame. Julia Loffredo led it off by blooping a ball that the RPI shortstop was unable to field and that was followed by Sela Schienman battling back in the count to work a walk. Kailey Collins sent a deep fly that was caught in foul territory allowing the runners to tag. Scroczinski got the second out by striking out Hudson Hassler setting up a big at-bat for Tava Kasper who was retired on a ground out.

RPI scratched across the opening run when Ryleigh Greenwald drilled a double down the line to left that allowed Mikayla O'Neil to score. That run was matched in the bottom of the seventh when Tava Kasper blasted a solo homer over the left field fence. Her solo shot was her team-best fourth of the season as this one was probably the most clutch of the year.

With runners on second and third with one out in the top of the ninth, Anna Cornell gave up a bases clearing double to right center. The Engineers scored two more runs within the frame to make it 5-1.

Alexis Cooke walked Julia Loffredo to begin the bottom half of the ninth and she then scored when Hudson Hassler drove a two-out single through the right side of the infield. Cooke then loaded up the bases with two-outs as she was replaced by Erika Holowka who closed it out to earn the save.

Ithaca (21-17) will now wait and see if they receive an at-large bid to compete in the NCAA Regional. The NCAA selection show will be broadcast on NCAA.com on Monday, May 9.