AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The No. 21 Ithaca College baseball team began its Spring break trip at the RussMatt Invitational in Auburndale, Florida, dropping its first game 17–9 to the University of Southern Maine on Sunday, March 12 and defeating Western New England University 11–9 on Monday, March 13.
Ithaca College vs. University Southern Maine (17-9)
Kyle Lambert got the start for the Bombers, throwing two scoreless innings to start the game, striking out three batters. The Huskies got through to Lambert in the third inning, earning back-to-back doubles to score two runs. In the fourth, the Bombers defense made five errors, allowing five unearned runs and the Huskies took a big 7–0 lead.
The Bombers got on the board in the bottom of the fourth as Connor Pederson was hit by a pitch to get on base. The Bomber hit him around, and a single by
Gil Merod brough him home. The Huskies responded in the top of the fifth, loading the bases with one out. A sacrifice fly brought a run home, but
Dan Kellachan ended the inning with a strikeout.
The Bombers big inning came in the bottom of the fifth, putting four runs across the plate to trail 8–5.
Louis Fabbo and Garret Callaghan each earned walks, and
Matt Fabian was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Pederson roped a triple, scoring all three runs.
Nicholas Cutaia smartly hit a groundball to the right side in the next at-bat, allowing Pederson to come home.
The Bombers chipped away at the lead over the next few innings, eventually tying the game in the bottom of the seventh. An RBI single in the sixth by Fabbo brought Gallaghan home to make it a two-run game.
Cutaia and
Ethan Rothstein led off the seventh with back-to-back doubles, scoring Cutaia. The Bomber then loaded the bases with no outs, forcing a pitching change for the Huskies.
Riley Brawdy earned a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 8–8, but the two batters flew out and struck out to end the inning.
The Huskies exploded in the top of the eighth inning for six runs to restore its big lead. The Huskies loaded the bases with one out, and a single brought two runs home to put Southern Maine back in front. The Huskies loaded the bases again, and a double brought all three runs home. The last run came on a wild pitch, and the Bombers were down 14–8.
The Huskies added three more in the ninth and the Bombers got a single run in the bottom of the inning from an RBI single by David Cifronelli.
Merod was the only batter to have multiple hits, finishing 3-for-3 at the plate and earning an RBI. Pederson brought home three RBI, and four other Bombers each picked up one RBI.
Ithaca College vs. Western New England University (11-9)
The Bombers defeated Western New england 11–9 on Monday afternoon. The Bombers built a huge 11–2 lead but survived a late comeback from the Golden Bears. Brawdy and Fabbo eached picked up three RBI, pacing the bombers to the win as
Garrett Bell was lights out on the mound through five innings.
The Bombers unloaded in the top of the first, taking an early 3–0 lead. Brawdy led off the game with a triple and was brought home on a single by Fabbo. The Bombers got runners to first and third, and a sacrifice fly by Fabian made the game 2–0. The Bombers third run came from a groundout to second base by Pederson, allowing Callaghan to come home.
Bell shut the door on the mound giving up just one unearned run through five innings of work. Bell allowed just three hits and struck out six batters on a great day for the right-hander.
The Bombers added a fourth run in the top of the fourth inning from
Mike Nauta. With the bases loaded, Nauta laid down a squeeze bunt, bringing home Cutaia for the score.
The Golden Bears responded in the bottom of the fourth, earning a run on two hits to cut the deficit to 4–1.
The Bombers went for another big inning in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs. Rothstein kicked off a two-out rally with a deep home run to left field. Merod and Nauta each followed with hits with Merod coming home from third on a passed ball. With Nauta on third, Brawdy crushed the Bombers' second home run of the inning to take a big 8–1 lead.
The Golden Bears earned another run in the bottom of the sixth, but the Bombers added three more in the top of the eighth to make the score 11–2. Brawdy continued his great day at the plate with an RBI double after Nauta walked. Fabbo then joined the party, hitting a two-run shot.
The Golden Bears did not go away, giving the Bombers a scare with a big seven-run inning. The Golden Bears loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and a hit-by-pitch. The bats got going as an RBI double brought home two runs to make the score 11–4. With the bases loaded again, C.J. Willis hit a grand slam to make the score 11–8. The Golden bears continued its rally, earning an RBI triple with two outs to get back within two runs.
The Golden Bears threatened again in the ninth inning with a leadoff double.
Erislandy Rives slammed the door for the Bombers, striking out the next two batters and forcing a groundout to end the game.
After Sunday and Monday's games, the Bombers move to a 5–3 record. The Bombers take on the University of Massachusetts Boston on Tuesday with first pitch scheduled for 5:15 p.m.
