HOBOKEN, N.J. – The Ithaca College baseball team posted a resilient effort in the Empire 8 Conference semifinals on Friday afternoon at Dobbelaar Field in Hoboken, N.J. and came away with an 8-7 walk-off win over top-seeded Stevens Institute of Technology. Ithaca will face the winner of Stevens and St. John Fisher tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. for the Empire 8's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship. The Bombers, who are now 27-14 on the season, will need to win just one game tomorrow, while Fisher or Stevens needs to win twice.

Senior Domenic Boresta delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning with a two-out bases loaded single to the right-centerfield gap to drive home junior Sam Little, who led off with a base hit.

After a sacrifice bunt moved S. Little to second, junior Matt Carey beat out an infield single to put runners on the corners. Freshman Jack Lynch was issued an intentional walk to load the bases before a strikeout was recorded to set up Boresta's base hit.

The Bombers scored the game's first in the bottom of the third inning on as sophomore Andrew Wollner scored on a wild pitch. Wollner reached on a one-out single through the left side, moved to second on a wild pitch, and then up to third on a groundout.

Stevens tied the contest at 1-1 in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to the right-center gap with a runner on second. The Ducks extended their lead to 3-1 in the next at bat with a two-run home run by A.J. Falconite.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ithaca regained the lead at 4-3 on a pair of run-scoring hits and a sacrifice fly. Junior Webb Little led off with a single and then fellow junior Andrew Bailey followed with a base hits. W. Little scored on the next at bat as junior Sam Little stroked a double down the right field line. After an RBI single by junior Adam Gallagher that brought home Bailey to tie the game at 3-3, junior Matt Carey sent a sac fly to right to push home S. Little.

W. Little extended the Bombers' lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out solo home run over the short porch in right field.

The Ducks once again used the long ball to tie things up at 5-5 in the top of the sixth with a two-run shot to right with no outs. Raymond Cortes III sent the offering to right with a runner on second to knock senior Tyler Hill out of the game.

Hill went five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits with three strikeouts.

Stevens had a chance to add another run in the frame as an errant pitch got from Wollner, but senior Chris Marinaccio was able to beat the Ducks' runner to the plate and recorded the out to keep the game deadlocked at 5-5.

The Ducks went back ahead by two runs, 7-5, on another round-tripper to right field by Alex Detweiler in the seventh inning.

Ithaca maintained its composure and struck for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie things up for the fifth time in the ball game at 7-7. Generali started the rally with a leadoff walk and W. Little followed with another base hit. Bailey drove home Generali with a single to right, which forced Stevens to go to the bullpen once again.

Out of the pitching change, S. Little drew a walk to load the bases and Gallagher stalemated the contest with an RBI fielder's choice as W. Little scored.

IC had a chance to add to its lead in the eighth, but W. Little lined into a double play with runners on the corners to end the scoring threat.

In the top of the ninth inning, Stevens quickly put two runners on with one out. A fielder's choice retired the second out, but a balk moved both runners up, which made Ithaca to intentionally walk Stevens' best hitter, Alex Detweiler to set up a force at any base. The next batter would groundout to short to give the Bombers their chance to walk-off.

Sophomore Tom Cosentino improved his record to 3-0 on the season in 2.2 innings of relief. Cosentino allowed one run on two hits and struck out three batters.

Senior Tyler Hill started the contest for IC and gave up five runs on seven hits over five innings pitched. Fellow senior Chris Marinaccio tossed 1.1 innings in relief before Cosentino entered the game.

Ithaca produced 16 hits on the day, including three each from W. Little, S. Little and Carey. Boresta and Bailey both notched two hits in the win.

The Bombers have won each of the past three Empire 8 Tournaments dating back to 2015, and will look to do the same tomorrow morning.