ITHACA, N.Y. -- The second-seeded Ithaca Bombers (31-13) edged the seventh-seeded Dickinson Red Devils (19-18) 2-1 in Thursday's fourth and final game of the NCAA Regional hosted by the Bombers. Ithaca faces Lebanon Valley Friday at 4 p.m. The Red Devils face Polytechnic at noon in an elimination game.
The game matched first-time NCAA playoff participant Dickinson against Ithaca, whose 23 NCAA playoff appearances are the most of any school.
Junior catcher Kerry Barger drove in both runs for the Bombers, singling in junior second baseman Kait Dolan in the first and leading off the fourth with her fourth home run of the season. Barger and Dolan each had two of Ithaca's five hits; junior Katherine Wilson had a lead-off single in the third.
Junior Allison Greaney earned the win, raising her record to 13-2. She allowed three hits and struck out four. Senior Alyssa Brook picked up her third save of the season, throwing three innings of one-hit relief. She struck out two Red Devils.
After being held hitless for the first three innings, Dickinson used first three hits of the game to the the score. third baseman
Erin King singled to lead off the inning and -- after advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt -- scored on an RBI single by right fielder
Alesha Sisco.
Sisco went to second two batters later on a single by shortstop
Melissa Osborn, but
Greaney induced an infield pop-up to end the rally.
The Red Devils put the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the fifth when first baseman Madison Gerish and left fielder Mary Kate Flannery walked and threatened again in the seventh on a lead-off single by Ari Coulter (who advanced to second) but Brook worked out of trouble in both innings.
Allison Jordan (pictured) scattered five hits for Dickinson, striking out eight Bombers.
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