CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Ithaca College baseball team improved to 2-1 during its California trip with a 10-4 victory over Pomona-Pitzer on Monday afternoon at Alumni Field. IC avenged its 1-0 loss from two days ago against the Sagehens as senior Adam Gallagher belted two home runs with four RBI in the win.
The Sagehens struck first with a run in the bottom of the second inning on back-to-back two-out singles against senior Tyler Hill. After Hill retired the first two batters on a groundout and strikeout, the next Sagehen batter drew a walk to continue to frame. A base hit to center placed runners at the corners, and then a single through the right side produced the first run of the contest.
Ithaca erupted for eight runs on five hits in the top of the fourth inning to build a seven-run lead, 8-1. The big blow of the inning came after a Pomona-Pitzer pitching change as Gallagher stroked a 3-run homerun to center field to cap off the frame.
Leading up to the homer, Gallagher led things up with a base hit and senior Sam Little followed with a walk. After a passed ball moved the runners up, junior Buzz Shirley lifted a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game at 1-1 as Gallagher scored. Senior Matt Carey then drew a two-out walk to continue IC's at bat and then S. Little scored on a strikeout-wild pitch and error to put the Bombers in front. Senior Cam Fuoti followed with a two-run single to left to make the score 4-1 as Carey and sophomore Jack Lynch scored. The Bombers' fifth run scored on another base hit from Callaghan to bring in Fuoti.
Pomona-Pitzer got a run back in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out single, but the Bombers got that run back in the top of the seventh on Gallgaher's second home run of the game – this time a solo blast.
In the seventh inning, sophomore Bill Willett made his first appearance of the season as he replace Hill on the mound. Hill threw six innings and allowed seven hits, two runs and struck out six for the victory.
Another run cross for the Bombers in the eighth to make the score 10-2, as Carey scampered home on a passed ball. Carey reached on a one-out single and moved up to third on a base hit by Fuoti.
Pomona-Pitzer plated two runs in the bottom of the ninth to cap off the scoring on a sac fly and base hit.
Gallagher went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs, while Fuoti was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Callaghan also produced a multi-hit contest with a 2-for-4 effort.
Willett tossed two scoreless innings of relief, while freshman Charlie Hammel finished off the contest in the ninth.
Ithaca is at No. 12 Chapman tomorrow at 3 p.m. (PST) in Orange, Calif.