ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 24 Ithaca College softball team is set to compete in the Liberty League Championship Tournament this week after earning the No. 2 seed. The double-elimination tournament will feature five teams battling for the conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
 
Action begins Thursday in Rochester, where the Bombers will open play against No. 3 seed Clarkson University. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
 
About the Liberty League Championship
The Bombers are aiming to capture their third Liberty League title and their first since 2019. Standing in their way is a competitive field led by the University of Rochester, which enters the tournament as the top seed after winning four consecutive league championships.
 
Rochester finished the regular season with a 23–11 overall record and an 11–3 mark in conference play. They secured hosting rights for this year's tournament by winning a tiebreaker over Ithaca, based on non-league results against common opponents—highlighted by a 2–0 record versus St. John Fisher.
 
Fourth-seeded RPI and fifth-seeded St. Lawrence will look to play their way into the double-elimination tournament in the opening matchup on Thursday at 10 a.m.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE:
Thursday, May 8
Play-In Game: No. 5 St. Lawrence (21-15) vs. No. 4 RPI (25-9) – 10 a.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Game 1: Winner of the Play-In vs. No. 1 Rochester (23-11) | Live Stats | Live Video
Game 2: No. 3 Clarkson (22-13) vs. No. 2 Ithaca (25-6) | Live Stats | Live Video
 
Friday, May 9
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2 – 10 a.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2 – 12:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 – 3 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
 
Saturday, May 10
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 – 12 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
Game 7: Same teams (if necessary) – 2:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Live Video
 
SCOUTING NO. 24 ITHACA
Riding a four-game winning streak, the Ithaca Bombers remain ranked No. 24 in the NFCA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll for the third consecutive week. They closed out the regular season in dominant fashion, sweeping Alfred University in non-conference play and RIT in Liberty League action.
 
Sophomore Elise Waddington was named Liberty League Performer of the Week after a standout performance at the plate. She went 7-for-14, with six of those hits going for extra bases—including two home runs. Waddington scored seven runs and drove in 12 RBI, finishing the week with an impressive 1.214 slugging percentage.
 
In the pitching circle, Anna Cornell continued her stellar season, earning Liberty League Pitcher of the Week honors. She tossed two shutouts over 11.0 innings, striking out 22 batters and further showcasing her dominance. Already the program's all-time leader in strikeouts, Cornell is arguably having her best season yet. She enters the postseason with a 12–3 record, a 1.12 ERA, and 156 strikeouts across 93.2 innings pitched. The senior currently ranks second nationally in strikeouts per seven innings, averaging 11.7.
 
Teammate Mady Rowell has also been a force in the circle, owning the second-best ERA in the Liberty League at 1.47. She has allowed the fewest runs in the conference (20) and holds a strong 10–2 record, giving the Bombers a formidable one-two punch heading into the postseason.
 
Offensively, Ithaca finished the regular season as the top-hitting team in the Liberty League, leading the conference in batting average (.331), runs scored (219), and RBI (202). The Bombers boast a deep and consistent lineup, with nine players batting over .300: Cate Murray (.387), Haley Petrucci (.376), Sela Scheinman (.367), Belle de Oliveira (.345), Jessie Lopez (.341), Elise Waddington (.337), Kailen Winkelblech (.333), Anna Bello (.333), and Ava Rao (.308). The team also ranks third in the conference in stolen bases with 51, adding speed to their offensive arsenal.
 
SCOUTING THE YELLOWJACKETS
Under second-year head coach Abby Hurley-Martin, the University of Rochester is set to host the Liberty League Championship Tournament for the first time since 2022. The Yellowjackets enter the postseason after splitting their final regular season series with Union.
 
Leading the pitching staff is Molly Broccolo, who has been a steady presence in the circle with a 1.94 ERA and 77 strikeouts across 104.2 innings pitched. Defensively, Rochester is tied with RPI for the top fielding percentage in the conference at .963. The Yellowjackets have also turned 15 double plays this season, helping them escape key situations and maintain control in tight games.
 
At the plate, Bailey Nicholoff (.398) and Riley Ligo (.386) headline the offense. The duo combined for 17 home runs and 53 RBI, making them two of the most dangerous hitters in the league. As a team, Rochester leads the Liberty League in home runs with 34 on the season, showcasing their power potential heading into the tournament.
 
SCOUTING THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Picked sixth in the Liberty League preseason poll, Clarkson has exceeded expectations this spring, earning the No. 3 seed in the upcoming championship tournament. The Golden Knights went 4–4 against the other four teams in the field, splitting all four doubleheaders.
 
A key player to watch is Devin Fitzpatrick, who has been a force on both sides. At the plate, she has launched 14 home runs, tied for ninth nationally, and provides a major power threat in the middle of the lineup. In the circle, Fitzpatrick leads the team with a 1.73 ERA and a 13–5 record across a team-high 121.1 innings pitched, making her one of the most impactful two-way players in the conference. Sophomore Lexi Rydelek has produced a team-best .394 batting average and Zoey Kovach has driven in 20 runs entering the postseason.
 
SCOUTING THE ENGINEERS
RPI enters the Liberty League Championship with one of the top pitching staffs in the conference, boasting a 2.20 team ERA. The Engineers feature a strong one-two punch in the circle with Ava Market and Gabby Heim. Market has compiled an 11–5 record with a 1.94 ERA, while Heim has held opponents to a .212 batting average across 81 innings pitched.
 
Offensively, Calista Adorno has been the standout performer. She leads the team with a .406 batting average through 34 starts and also tops the Engineers in runs scored (24), RBIs (27), and extra-base hits (15). RPI will look to make another deep postseason run, having reached the championship game in each of the past two seasons. To get there again, they'll first need to get past St. Lawrence in the tournament's opening play-in game.
 
SCOUTING THE SAINTS
St. Lawrence secured the No. 5 seed in the Liberty League Championship, winning the tiebreaker over Union after sweeping the Garnet Chargers in their regular season matchup. Known for their aggressive baserunning, the Saints lead the conference with 63 stolen bases, including two against Ithaca earlier this season. Emily Wendt has been especially effective on the basepaths, successfully stealing 15-of-16 attempts.
 
At the plate, the Saints are hitting .314 as a team and feature a pair of standout hitters in Maeve Thompson (.410) and Allison Kloft (.405). Expect to see Izzy Melanson pitch the play-in on Thursday as she leads the team with her 2.95 ERA across 61.0 innings.