Flemington, N.J. - The Ithaca College Bombers swept the doubleheader on the road against the (RV) Arcadia University Knights on Saturday improving their record to 3-2 on the season.

Game 1: Ithaca 9, Arcadia 6

In the first game of the day, the Bombers immediately got off to a strong start with three consecutive hits from Sheldon Jay Walker III, Anthony Mestre, and Ethan Fantel to load the bases. The first run then came home on a sacrifice fly into right field, followed by Ethan Daddabbo driving home another run with a fielder's choice. Isaiah Smith closed out the scoring in the inning for the Bombers with another single to make it 3-0.

On the pitching side of things, Jack Picozzi started off the game for the Bombers going the first 2.1 innings without allowing a hit; meanwhile, he struck out four batters in that span. In the bottom of the third, Picozzi got into some trouble with runners on first and second with only one out. However, he then struck out back-to-back batters to preserve the 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth Chris Quick scored the first run of the game for the Knights after reaching on an error; Eric Shandler doubled down the right field line to bring home the unearned run. Picozzi then loaded the bases after he walked and hit a batter with only one out. After striking out a batter he walked and hit another batter to bring in two more unearned runs to tie the game 3-3. Picozzi then ended the inning with his ninth strikeout of the day.

Danny Drotos then relieved Picozzi in the bottom of the fifth frame. After walking the lead-off hitter, Drotos struck out the next three batters, giving the Bombers 12 strikeouts on the day through five innings.

Arcadia then took the lead for the first time in the game in the bottom of the sixth. After a lead-off walk and sacrifice bunt to get the runner into scoring position with two outs, the Knights got back-to-back base hits to make the game 5-3.

In the top of the seventh, after another lead-off walk, with one out Anthony Mestre hit the first home run of his collegiate career, a two-run shot over the left field wall to tie the game 5-5. In the bottom of the frame, Arcadia scored another unearned run, with an outfield error leaving a runner at second base to be brought home with a two out base hit.

In the top of the eighth frame, Isaiah Smith earned a one-out base hit, stole second and third before Lucas Orlovitz crushed a two-run shot over the left field wall to give the Bombers the lead 7-6. In the bottom half of the inning Luke Zelinko entered the game in relief of Drotos. A walk and error surrounding a strikeout got him into some trouble with runners on first and second. However, Zelinko recorded two strikeouts to keep the Bombers ahead, going into the final frame.

In the ninth inning, Mestre started the inning with a single, stole second, and was then brought home when Fantel doubled to left center to make it 8-6. Matt Curtis then put runners on the corners with a single of his own, which allowed Daddabbo to hit a sacrifice fly to give the Bombers a three-run lead. 

Zelinko then completed the ninth inning to close out the game for the save. After surrendering a single, he got a double play ball for the first two outs, followed by a fly out finishing the game with the Bombers winning 9-6. 

In the first game of the double header, the Bombers had 12 hits, with six different batters collecting RBIs. Meanwhile, the Bombers pitching staff struck out 16 batters and only allowed two earned runs.

Game 2: Ithaca 16, Arcadia 7

After a scoreless first inning for both teams, Isaiah Smith made it to first base with a walk, before Lucas Orlovitz hit his second home run of the day to make it 2-0 in favor of the Bombers. In the bottom half of the second inning, the Knights tied it up getting a base hit, followed by a hit batter, and another hit with the trailing run scoring on a throwing error to tie the game at two.

In the third inning, Anthony Mestre recorded a hit, stole second, and third before coming home on an Ethan Fantel single to take a 3-2 lead. However, the Knights immediately tied it again as Ryan Radigan hit a home run to left field. 

Ithaca was then able to take a four-run lead in the fourth inning. Orlovitz got the inning started with a walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch. Zachary Barron then singled to right field, putting runners at the corners. Sheldon Jay Walker III then bunted for a hit, bringing home a run. Mestre then capped off the inning with his second home run of the day to make it 7-3. Then in the bottom of the frame, the Knights cut the deficit to two with back-to-back walks that were brought home on a triple to right field from Kevin Wheeler to make it 7-5.

The Bombers continued their offensive strikes in the fifth inning, loading the bases with nobody out, with a walk and two hit batters. Allowing Walker to bring a run home with a single to left field, making it 8-5.

Ithaca then loaded the bases again in the seventh inning after two walks from Orlovitz and Liam Tiernan, surrounded by a Zack Sperger single. Walker then singled for the Bombers to bring home a run before Mestre broke the game open with a grand slam, which was his third home run of the day, and second of the game to make it 13-5. 

In the eighth inning the Bombers got consecutive singles from Ben Raspanti and Isaiah Smith putting two runners on base for Orlovitz who went deep with a three-run shot for his second homer of the game, and third of the day, making it 16-5. From there Ithaca cruised to victory winning 16-7.

Reed Bailey started the game going 4.0 innings, allowing four earned runs and struck out four batters. Cooper Albert pitched 4.0 scoreless innings in relief, allowing only one hit, and struck out four batters. Then, Richard Zangara closed out the game in the ninth, allowing one earned run. 

The Bombers are in action again on the road on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. against Wilkes University in Pennsylvania.