ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 19 Ithaca College baseball team will officially get its 2023 season underway this weekend with three games in Stevenson, Md. The Bombers are coming off a 34-14 campaign last spring, which culminated with a trip to the NCAA Division III Super Regional.

IC claimed its first-ever Liberty League title last year and earned its first NCAA Division III Regional championship since 2013. The Bombers will be loaded once again entering this season, as the entire offense returns, except for recent graduate and All-American Buzz Shirley, and most of the pitching staff remained intact.

Head coach David Valesente, now in his fourth season, and his staff have assembled a roster of more than 40 players in 2023.

The Bombers will need that experience and depth as IC will face a grueling schedule over the 40-game slate. Ithaca has seven preseason nationally ranked teams on its schedule, along with handful of regional powers that the Bombers must face.

Returning to the diamond this season for the Bombers as probable starters are Matt Fabian (Liberty League First-Team - .359, 55 H, 39 RBI, 38 R, 11 2B, 21 BB, 4 HR), Gil Merod (Liberty League Second-Team - .284, 48 H, 28 RBI, 26 R, 21 BB), Louis Fabbo (Liberty League Second-Team - .364, 59 H, 57 R, 34 RBI, 31 BB), Mike Nauta (.296, 35 R, 32 H, 23 BB), Ethan Rothstein (.258, 32 H, 28 RBI), Connor Pedersen (Liberty League Rookie of the Year - .377, 78 H, 38 RBI, 35 R, 19 2B), Riley Brawdy (.265, 39 H, 35 R, 22 RBI), Nicholas Cutaia (.339, 61 H, 45 RBI, 35 R 14 2B).

The Bombers also welcome back Garrett Callaghan, who played at Division I Rutgers last season. In 2021 at Ithaca, Callaghan hit .375 with 34 RBI, 31 runs scored and nine homeruns.

Colin Shashaty, Collin Feeney, Ben Landis, Ryan Laubscher and David Cifonelli are also back for the Bombers in 2023.

On the mound, Kyle Lambert (Liberty League Pitcher of the Year – 3.09 ERA, 6-3, 96.0 IP, 96 K) and Colin Leyner (Liberty League Honorable Mention – 3.68 ERA, 7-1, 63.2 IP, 55 K) will be the probable No. 1 and No. 2 starters.

Garrett Bell (41.0 IP, 7-0, 42 K, 3 Saves), Matt Chase (13 App., 30.1 IP, 20 K), Erislandy Rives (16 App., 22.0 IP, 23 K), Zane Grimes (26.2 IP, 23 K), Bo Nicholson, Dan Kellachan, Sean Kelly, John Griffin and Carter Kowalczyk will all factor into the starting rotation or see time out of the bullpen.

Newcomers to the team this year are: Colin Dunn – OF, Ethan Daddabbo – C, Lucas Orlovitz – IF/OF, Josh Kaplan – IF/P, Ryan Banks – P, Reed Bailey – P, Marc Filler-Berroll – 1B, Jack Colyer – P, Matt Curtis – OF, Landon White – P.

Ithaca opens the season against No. 15/11 Arcadia on February 25 at 10 a.m. and then takes on Stevenson University at 2 p.m. IC wraps up it season-opening trip to Maryland with a contest against Ursinus on the 26th.

The following weekend, March 4-5, the Bombers travel to Long Island for a doubleheader against the United States Merchant Marine Academy and a single game with St. Joseph's College-Long Island.

IC then heads to Florida for Spring Break and will play seven games in seven days against formidable opponents. Ithaca opens with No. 38 Southern Maine on March 12 and then takes on Western New England on the 13th. The Bombers will then play UMass Boston and Roger Williams on the 14th and 15th, followed by a showdown with No. 8/26 Wisconsin-Stevens Point on the 16th. The trip concludes with games against No. 31 Wheaton (Mass.) on the 17th and No. 11/12 Rowan on the 18th.

Ithaca returns to New York for a mid-week home game against Scranton on March 22 and then opens Liberty League play with a doubleheader against Rochester on the 25th, followed by a trip to Rochester the next day.

After another mid-week game at Hamilton on March 28, IC hosts St. Lawrence for three games on April 1-2. The Bombers remain at home on the 5th for a contest against Alfred State and RIT on the 7th. On April 8, IC goes to RIT, followed by a matchup at St. John John Fisher on the 12th.

The Bombers will be on the road for five straight games from there with a doubleheader at Union on April 16, a nine-inning contest at No. 17/15 Oswego on the 18th and a doubleheader at Clarkson on the 22nd.

IC welcomes Clarkson to Freeman Field on April 23 and then battles No. 14/19 Cortland at home on April 26.

Hobart, a first-year program, is next on the schedule with a doubleheader in Geneva on April 29 and then the Statesmen come to South Hill for one on April 30. The regular season comes to a close at home against Brockport on May 2.

The Liberty League Crossover Series will take place May 5-7, followed by the Liberty League Tournament on May 11-13.