YORK, Pa. – The Ithaca College softball team completed a two-game sweep over York College of Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon. The Bombers exploded offensively for a six-inning mercy rule win in game one, then prevailed with strong defense and pitching in game two.
GAME 1: Ithaca 10, York 1 (F-6)
The Bombers got to work early in game one, scoring in each of the first four innings to build a big 8–1 lead. The Bombers had 14 hits as a team and got the long ball going with two-run homers from Tava Kasper and Haley Petrucci.
Kasper finished with four RBI for the Bombers and was one of five hitters with a multi-hit game. Sela Scheinman was 4-for-4 in the leadoff spot with two runs scored and Allison Dell'Orto finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Priomalli was lights out in the circle, allowing three hits with six strikeouts on the day.
The Bombers exploded for four runs on four hits to get things started in the top of the first frame. The game started with back-to-back singles from Sela Scheinman and Hudson Hassler set the table for Allison Dell'Orto who drove both of them in with a double to left field. Dell'Orto was driven in two batters later when Kasper blasted a two-run homer over the left-field fence. Riley Piromalli was able to work her way out of a jam in the bottom half of the inning as she stranded a runner on third by striking out Reagan Wolford.
Ithaca would make it 5–0 as Scheinman scored on an RBI single off the bat of Hudson Hassler. The Bombers' second big blast of the day came from Petrucci with a two-run shot to left field in the top of the third. The Spartans looked to get back in the game in the bottom half of the inning, rallying for a run. With runners on second and third, Piromalli shut the door with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
Kasper brought in another run in the fourth inning with an RBI double scoring Kailey Collins for an 8–1 lead. The Bombers would finish off the mercy rule in game one with two more runs in the top of the sixth inning. Kasper hit her fourth RBI with a sacrifice fly and Madison Casale drove in Collins for a 10–1 advantage.
Piromalli finished the game with a one-two-three inning in the sixth to cap off a fantastic game for the Bombers.
GAME 2: Ithaca 2, York 1 (F)
Kasper continued her great day at the plate, bringing in the first run of the game in game two. Hassler and Dell'Orto reached base, and Kasper drove in a run with a line drive to left field. Kasper then stole second base, allowing Dell'Orto to come home for a 2–0 lead in the top of the first.
The two runs were all the Bombers needed to get the job done in game two as Anna Cornell and the defense got the job done.
Cornell stranded four runners through the first three innings, allowing just one run to score in the third to make the score 2–1. Cornell earned two outs with runners on first and third after a big rally by the Spartans, ending the inning with the lead intact. Cornell responded in the fourth with a one-two-three inning and Kasper doubled up a runner after a lineout in the fifth.
The Spartans had the tying run on second base in each of the sixth and seventh innings, but a strikeout in the sixth and great defense in the seventh allowed the Bombers to prevail in game two.
The successful double-steal in the first proved to be the winning run for the Bombers as they take the two-game sweep over York College of Pennsylvania.
The Bombers had six hits, with two from each Kasper and Petrucci as they continued to stay hot at the plate. Cornell finished with seven strikeouts as she completed the seven-inning game in the circle.
The Bombers advance to 11–4–1 after Saturday's wins and travel to Alfred University on Wednesday for a doubleheader at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
