ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team picked up a crucial win in the Bombers' quest to host the upcoming Liberty League Crossover Series as IC downed Hobart, 9-4, Thursday afternoon at Freeman Field to open the three-game series against the Statesmen. Ithaca is now 18-12 on the season and 7-6 in the Liberty West.

Danny Drotos made quick work of Hobart in the first inning as he retired the side in nine pitches. Hobart threatened in its second at bat by putting a pair of runners in scoring position, but Drotos got out of the jam with a strikeout.

IC could not produce much in its first two trips to the plate as only one runner reached base by way of a hit by pitch.

Hobart broke through in the third inning for the initial run of the contest on a base hit to left field to make it 1-0. The Bombers responded in the bottom half by placing the first two batters on – Ethan Daddabbo and Zack Sperger – with walks and Isaiah Smith tied the game with a bunt base hit as Daddabbo scored from third. Ethan Fantel then put the Bombers ahead, 2-1, with a line drive single to left-center that plated Sperger.

Drotos pitched into and out of trouble in the fourth as he allowed back-to-back singles to start the inning, but got out unscathed with a double play and strikeout. The Bombers rode that momentum into the bottom of the fourth and built a two-run lead, 3-1, Sperger drove in Ethan Daddabbo with a single to left field.

In the fifth, Fantel led off with a double and later scored on another double by Matt Curtis to make it 4-1. The Statesmen battled backed in the sixth with two runs on a double and sacrifice fly to pull back to within a run at 4-3.

IC regained its cushion in the seventh as the Bombers quickly loaded the bases on a double from Fantel, hit by pitch to Lucas Orlovitz and walk to Camden Laney. Following a pitching change, Curtis drove home two runs with a base hit back up the middle, increasing the lead to 6-3 and forcing Hobart to make another call to the bullpen. On the very first pitch, Jake Alfano sent a single inside the third base bag to plate Laney for a 7-3 lead with no outs. Ithaca would leave the bases loaded to keep their advantage at 7-3 heading to the eighth.

The Statesmen attempted to make a comeback in the top of the eighth inning by loading the bases with no outs. Cooper Albert induced an infield and struck out the next batter, but an infield single allowed one run to come home for a 7-4 difference. A groundout left the bases loaded for Hobart.

The Bombers put the game away in the bottom of the eighth as Anthony Mestre drove in two runs on a pinch hit single up the middle for a 9-4 IC lead as Fantel and Orlovitz came home.

Danny Drotos earned the win on the mound as he went 6.0 innings and allowed three runs on nine hits with six strikeouts. Cooper Albert tossed 2.0 innings of relief and struck out three, while Sean Minnick closed out the contest with a scoreless ninth.

Fantel paced the offense, going 4-for-5 with three runs scored. Curtis drove in three as he was 2-for-3 at the plate.

Ithaca and Hobart continue the series tomorrow in Geneva for a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.