ITHACA N.Y. – After taking the first game of the three-game series yesterday, the Ithaca College baseball team broke out the bats in a big way and improved to 11-4 overall and 6-1 in Empire 8 Conference following two wins against SUNY Canton in Saturday's doubleheader. Ithaca collected 35 hits and scored 34 runs over the two games, and the pitching staff did not allow a run on the day, as the Bombers topped the Kangaroos, 10-0 and 24-0.
GAME ONE – Ithaca 10, Canton 0 (7 innings)
The Bombers got on the board in the second inning when sophomore Garrett Callaghan led off with a walk, followed by a two-run home run from senior Matt Carey three batters later. The home run from Carey was his second in as many games.
In the bottom of the third, the Bombers added four more runs, extending their lead to 6-0. Senior Garrett Snyder started off the inning with a walk, and senior Adam Gallagher hit him home with a double down the left field line. Senior Sam Little then singled home Gallagher, followed by a Canton error two at-bats later, allowing Little to score. Callaghan would steal home to cap off the inning, giving Ithaca a 6-0 edge.
Ithaca loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth with one out for junior Buzz Shirley, who lined a bases-clearing double down the right field line to put the Bombers up, 9-0.
Junior Chris Dietz would extend the lead with an RBI single to right field in the sixth, giving the Bombers a 10-0 lead.
Senior Emmett Dunn recorded his third win of the season in six innings pitched with eight strikeouts and four hits allowed. Senior Christian LaLomia finished off the game with a scoreless ninth inning.
Shirley drove in three runs in the opener, while Callaghan walked three times and scored three runs.
GAME TWO – Ithaca 24, Canton 0 (9 innings)
The Bomber offense continued to roll in the second game, as the team recorded 11 extra base hits, including three home runs and two triples.
Ithaca jumped out to an early lead in the latter contest, posting five runs in the bottom half of the first inning. Callaghan roped a two-RBI double to the left-center gap, then Shirley followed up with a double, advancing Callaghan to third base. Fuoti would single through the left side of the infield, scoring both Callaghan and Shirley. Carey laced a double to left field scoring Fuoti and the Bombers took a 5-0 lead into the second inning.
The offensive firepower continued in the second as the team scored seven runs on seven hits. The inning was highlighted by a deep two-run home run that hit off the scoreboard in left-center from Snyder. Carey also had a two-RBI triple in the right-center gap, scoring Fuoti and Callaghan. The Bombers led 12-0 after two innings of play.
The fourth inning resulted in five more runs with four extra base hits, including a two-run home run by sophomore Jack Lynch, the first of his career. Shirley and Fuoti also drove in runs with extra base hits, while junior Marco Fontana accounted for the other RBI on a groundout to make the score 17-0.
The Bombers posted another seven-run inning in the bottom of the sixth, which was capped off by a grand slam from junior Chris Dietz and the third homer of the game. Leading up to the grand slam, sophomore Brendan Ryan singled in freshman Jason Sarubbi, while a bases loaded walk to sophomore Alex Robinson pushed in junior Andrew Wollner. Senior Jackson Smith then ripped a single to left to plate Ryan before the slam by Dietz.
Junior Tom Cosentino picked up his second victory as he surrendered two hits with no walks and five strikeouts over five innings. Seniors Andrew Bailey, junior Trevor Rumsey and sophomore Bill Willett each tossed an inning of relief and combined to strikeout five Kangaroos.
The Bombers' next game is scheduled for Tuesday, April 2nd at home against SUNY Oswego at 4pm.