CORTLAND, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team played on Wednesday afternoon against Hobart at the Gutchess Sports Complex in Cortland and came away with a 9-4 victory. Ithaca is now 9-5 on the season, while Hobart is 14-6, as this game was slated as a non-conference contest.

Hobart posted a 2-0 lead after the top of the first inning as a one-out triple led to the first run after a base hit and then a sacrifice fly brought home the second run.

Ithaca knotted the game up at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI triple from Ethan Fantel that plated Sheldon Jay Walker III and Camden Laney followed with an RBI groundout.

The Statesmen quickly regained the lead with two more runs in the top half of the fifth on an RBI triple and sac fly, but it was all Bombers from there. IC plated six runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth, which was highlighted by a grand slam to centerfield from Fantel following a pitching change to make it 7-4. Prior to the grand slam, Owen Callahan scored on a balk to start the rally. After Fantel cleared the bases, Laney drilled a solo shot over the right field fence to give IC an 8-4 advantage.

In the bottom of the sixth, Lucas Orlovitz led off with a solo blast to dead center to account for the final run of the contest.

Fantel went 3-for-5 with five RBI and came up a double shy of the cycle, while Walker was 2-for-4.

Ryan Kane started on the mound and went 2.0 innings before being relieved by Ray Stein, who struck out three batters over his 3.0 innings of work to earn the win. Trevor Green struck out three in his inning of relief, while Cole Stefanelli and Anders Lowes also tossed scoreless outings. Cooper Albert finished up the contest with a strikeout in the ninth.

Ithaca is scheduled to play Clarkson for a three-game series this Friday and Saturday in Ithaca, but an incoming storm and cold temperatures will likely push the games back a day.