ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The No. 24-ranked Ithaca College softball team kicked off the Liberty League Championship tournament with a hard-fought 4–3 victory over Clarkson University on Thursday afternoon. With the win, the Bombers advance to face top-seeded University of Rochester on Friday, with a spot in the championship game on the line.
 
Anna Cornell got the start in the pitching circle and set the tone early, striking out five batters over the first three innings to keep the Golden Knights off the board.
 
The Bombers' offense came alive in the bottom of the third, erupting for four runs on six hits and capitalizing on a Clarkson error. Outfielders Belle de Oliveira and Jessie Lopez ignited the rally with back-to-back singles. Elise Waddington followed with a clutch double into the right-center gap, driving in both runners.
 
Kailen Winkelblech added to the surge with an RBI single up the middle, and Haley Petrucci capped the inning by lacing a run-scoring single down the third base line to bring Winkelblech home, giving Ithaca a 4–0 lead.
 
Clarkson responded quickly in the top of the fourth, stringing together back-to-back hits from Devin Fitzpatrick to put runners on second and third. Emily Bulone then put the Golden Knights on the board with a sacrifice fly to right field, trimming the deficit to 4–1.
 
Two innings later, Fitzpatrick sparked another rally—this time against Ithaca reliever Mady Rowell, who entered in the fourth. Fitzpatrick, Rydelek, and Bulone delivered three consecutive singles, with Bulone driving in Shaelee Torres to make it 4–2.
 
Rowell then loaded the bases after Genevieve Mucitelli reached safely, and Kayla Johnson followed with a single through the left side, cutting Ithaca's lead to just one at 4–3 with no outs in the top of the fifth. Anna Cornell reentered and was able to escape the jam with a strikeout, shallow fly out and an inning ending ground ball.
 
In the top of the seventh, Clarkson threatened once more as Zoey Kovach led off with a single. But Anna Cornell remained composed in the circle, working around the base hit to shut the door and secure the 4–3 victory for Ithaca. With her eight punchouts, Cornell improved her record to 13–3 on the season. Offensively, Kailen Winkelblech, Haley Petrucci and Belle de Oliveira managed two hits apiece.
 
The 2025 Liberty League tournament continues Friday, with the winners bracket matchup at 10 a.m. and two elimination games to follow at 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Bombers will square off against the University of Rochester at 10 a.m. with the winner of that advancing to the championship game, while the loser faces Clarkson/RPI in the second afternoon game at 3 p.m.