photo credit - Spencer Honda
IMMACULATA, Pa. – The Ithaca College baseball team will play for a trip to the NCAA Division III Super Regionals tomorrow morning after the Bombers took down Keystone College, 7-2, on Sunday in the Immaculata Regional. With two wins so far in the regional, the Bombers now need just one victory against either Keystone or Immaculata tomorrow to secure the program's first-ever Super Regional appearance. IC is now 32-12 on the season and has won its last seven games.
The Bombers got off to a shaky start as Keystone placed its first two runners on via walks off Nate Scott in the top of the first inning and then moved up on a wild pitch. After a strikeout, the Giants took a 1-0 lead on a single to left field. Keystone would score its second run of the inning before the final out was retired on a rundown between first and second base.
Ithaca got a run back in the bottom of the first inning as Buzz Shirley scored on an infield error with two outs. Shirley found his way to third base on a triple to right-center and scored on the groundball from Nicholas Cutaia.
The Bombers tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third as Cutaia drove a line drive single to right-center and Louis Fabbo scored from second. Fabbo started the rally with a two-out infield single and then Shirley walked.
In the top of the fourth, Keystone earned a pair of walks to start the inning, but a failed sacrifice bunt attempt and strikeout gave IC two outs. A hit batter loaded the bases, but Scott induced a fly out to center to get out of the jam and keep the game tied at 2-2.
In the bottom of the fifth, IC quickly loaded the bases with a hit by pitch to Mike Nauta, a single by Fabbo and another hit by pitch to Shirley. After a lineout by Cutaia, Connor Pedersen gave IC a 4-2 lead with a two-run double down the left field line as Nauta and Fabbo scored. The lead grew to 5-2 as Matt Fabian sent a single into left field and Shirley scored.
Ethan Rothstein then ripped a double to right-center and both Pedersen and Fabian scored to extend IC's lead to 7-2 and forced Keystone to make another pitching change. The Giants were able to get out of the inning without allowing IC to put anymore runs up on the board, but that score would hold for the remainder of the contest.
Scott exited the game after 6.0 innings pitched with seven strikeouts and two earned runs on four hits for his seventh win of the season. Matt Chase entered in the seventh and picked up the save in 3.0 dominant innings of relief as he allowed just one hit and needed just 30 pitches to navigate through 10 at bats.
Rothstein went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the win, while Fabbo was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
IC will play at 11 a.m. on Monday morning against the winner of Immaculata and Keystone. At the time of this release, Immaculata was leading Keystone, 3-0, in the fourth inning.
If the Bombers win tomorrow, they will move on to face either No. 11 Shenandoah or Catholic in the Super Regional next weekend. The Super Regional is a best-of-three series.