ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team split a crucial Liberty League doubleheader in a battle of the top two teams in the West as the University of Rochester won the opener, 8-6, but the Bombers answered in the nightcap with a 7-1 victory. IC is now 20-9 overall and 8-3 in the division.

GAME ONE: Rochester 8, Ithaca 6

Ithaca fell behind Rochester in the opener, 2-0, after the second inning, but plated two runs in the top of the fifth and four more in the sixth to build a 6-3 lead. It was all Yellowjackets from there, as UR scored twice in the sixth to make it 6-5 and then tied the game in the seventh. A two-run eighth proved to be the winning runs as Rochester pulled out an 8-6 comeback win.

Rochester hit three home runs in the game, including a pair of two-run shots in the sixth and eighth innings. A wild pitch tied the game in the seventh.

IC's first runs of the game came on a two-run double off the bat of Tyler Pugliese to plate Collin Feeney and Colin Shashaty. In the sixth, Feeney sent a fly ball to centerfield with the bases loaded, which was dropped, and all three runs scored.

Pugliese picked up another RBI base hit in the sixth to push home Feeney.

Colin Leyner started the game for IC and went 6.0 innings and allowed five runs (three earned) with three strikeouts. Sean Kelly and Conor Burns each tossed an inning of relief as Burns took the loss.

GAME TWO: Ithaca 7, Rochester 1
Written By: Toby Zboray '25

The Bombers struck first in game two, as Camden Laney followed an Ethan McDonough double with a two-run home run for his second homer of the season, giving Ithaca a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. 
 
Collin Feeney followed suit in the top of the second inning, hitting a solo home run to right field to give IC a 3-0 lead and Feeney's second home run of his season. McDonough followed up by tripling in Logan Scully before scoring on a wild pitch to give the Bombers a 5-0 lead after just two innings.
 
Ithaca got into the Yellowjackets bullpen in the top of the third inning and were able to draw two walks from Matt Curtis and Ethan Rothstein to start the frame. The Bombers took advantage, as Colin Shashaty allowed Curtis to score on a groundout to the shortstop to give the Bombers a 6-0 advantage heading to the bottom of the third. 
 
Riley Brawdy kept the Bombers bats rolling in the top of the fourth, getting Ithaca's third home run over the first four innings to take a 7-0 lead. Ithaca scored in each of the first four innings to start the game, marking the first time they accomplished such a feat all season. 
 
Rochester answered back in the bottom of the fourth, as a double steal paid off for the Yellowjackets, scoring the runner at third and making it a 7-1 ballgame.
 
IC threatened again in the top of the fifth, as the Bombers had runners at the corners with one out. The Yellowjackets were able to escape with their first clean inning of the ballgame thanks to a double play that ended the frame.   
 
Bombers' starter Jack Picozzi earned the win for the Bombers, going 8.0 innings allowing six hits and one run while striking out six Yellowjackets without giving up a walk. Keaton Blackwood pitched the final inning for the Bombers, allowing a hit without giving up a run as he finished off the Bombers 7-1 win over the Yellowjackets. 
 
Laney finished with three hits including a home run along with a walk for the Bombers. 
 
Ithaca will host Rochester for the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.