ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team split a doubleheader with Union College in the Liberty League Crossover weekend at Freeman Field on Saturday as Ithaca lost the opener, 5-2, and bounced back to win game two, 7-3. The Bombers are now 26-12 and will play Union tomorrow at 12 p.m. for a trip to next weekend's Liberty League Tournament.

GAME ONE: Union 5, Ithaca 2

Union took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as a run scored on a wild pitch with two outs. Kobe Mentzer started the rally with a one-out single through the left side and then moved up to second on a walk. A fly out to right field allowed Mentzer to advance to third and later scored.

The Bombers answered in the bottom of the first with two runs on three hits to take a 2-1 lead. Mike Nauta led off with a lead off single and then Louis Fabbo singled through the left side. A fly out from Buzz Shirley moved Nauta to third and then Nicholas Cutaia drove in IC's first run a groundout the short. Connor Pedersen gave the Bombers a 2-1 lead as he drove in Fabbo with a line drive single to right field.

The Dutchmen regained the lead in the top of the third as an RBI double to centerfield plated the tying run and back-to-back bases loaded walks gave Union a 4-2 edge. IC escaped further damage as Kyle Lambert got out of the jam with a strikeout.

Union added another run in the top of the sixth on a bloop single to right-center, allowing a runner to score from second base. The Dutchmen led the inning off with a single to right and then sacrificed the runner into scoring position.

IC threatened in the bottom of the ninth with base hits from Nauta and Shirley, but the Bombers were unable to plate any runs and took the 5-2 loss.

Lambert allowed five earned runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings pitched. Matt Chase finished off the game with three scoreless innings of relief.

The Bombers outhit Union, 11-9, in the opener.

GAME TWO: Ithaca 7, Union 3 (7 Innings)

Union put up two runs in the top of the first inning on an RBI double that rolled all the way to the right-centerfield wall and then a base hit to left brought home the other run.

The lead for the Dutchmen was short-lived, however, as the Bombers plated seven runs on three hits in the bottom half of the inning.

In the seven-run outburst, Nauta and Fabbo started the rally with a single and double. Shirley was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Nicholas Cutaia drove home Nauta with a sac fly. After the second out was recorded, Gil Merod was walked to continue the inning. Another walk to Matt Fabian tied the game as Fabbo scored.

Back-to-back passed balls brought in Shirley and Merod to put IC ahead, 4-2, and a Union error gave the Bombers a 5-2 lead as Fabian crossed the plate. Nauta then dropped a bunt single to third base and an errant throw scored Ethan Rothstein and Riley Brawdy to come all the way around to score and give IC a 7-2 advantage.

Union trimmed a run off its deficit in the third with back-to-back two out hits to push a run across the plate, which was the final run of the contest.

Nate Scott tossed his second straight complete game as he struck out eight batters and allowed three runs on five hits in 7.0 innings.