Ithaca Knocks Off Centenary [N.J.]
ITHACA, N.Y. – The second-seeded Ithaca Bombers (28-12) defeated the seventh-seeded Centenary [N.J.] Cyclones (29-12) 8-1 Thursday in an NCAA Division III Softball regional game played at Ithaca College. The Bombers advance to face sixth-seeded Keuka Friday at 4:30 p.m. The Cyclones will meet third-seeded Middlebury Friday at noon in an elimination game.
First baseman Carianne D'Alessandro drove in three runs and second baseman Kait Dolan and left fielder Britt Lillie both finished with three hits to pace Ithaca's offense and freshman Jill Olmstead worked out of trouble in the sixth to thwart Centenary's best offesnive threat.
Lillie's RBI double and D'Alessandro's run-scoring single highlighted the Bombers' two-run second inning. Dolan and Lillie added RBI hits in Ithaca's four-run uprising in the fourth with center fielder Jennifer Biondi and pinch-hitter Jackie Branco also driving in runs.
Olmstead earned her third save of the season, retiring the last four batters. She came in with the bases loaded and two outs following an RBI single by catcher Cara Montferrat. The Cyclones had been held hitless through 5.2 innings before left fielder Jen Vasta dropped a two-out bunt in front of home plate for Centenary's first hit. Vasta was just the third baserunner given up by Bomber starter Alison Greaney (10-3), who walked a batter in the fourth and allowed shortstop Caitlin Veverka to reach on an infield error a batter before Vasta's bunt. Montferrat's single plated Veverka and second baseman Katie Ciesewisz drew a five-pitch walk to lead the bases before Olmstead entered and shut down Centenary.
D'Alessandro's two-run single in the sixt h closed out the scoring. Dolan and Lillie both scored three runs.
