PATHOGUE, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team picked up its first wins of the season on Sunday during a doubleheader at St. Joseph's College – Long Island by 4-1 and 18-2 scores in Patchogue, N.Y. Ithaca is now 2-3 on the season and will travel to California next week for seven games (March 13-18).
GAME ONE: Ithaca 4, St. Joseph's 1
Senior Benji Parkes delivered a superb performance on the mound for the Bombers, tossing seven innings on just 85 pitches. Parkes scattered four hits with two walked and gave up an earned run. He also struck out two batters.
It was a scoreless battle over the first 6 1/2 innings until the Golden Eagles plated a run in the bottom of the seventh.
The Bombers answered with three runs in the top of the eighth on three hits. Sophomore Domenic Boresta got things started with an infield single and junior Trevor Thompson followed with a hit by pitch. Freshman Andrew Bailey stepped to the plate next and singled in Boresta to knot the game at 1-1. After a walk to senior John Stanley loaded the bases, classmate Ryan Henchey drove in two (Thompson and Bailey) with a single to cap off the inning.
Ithaca tacked on another run in the ninth on an error. Freshman Webb Little scored on the play after leading off the inning with a walk.
The Bombers only recorded four hits in the opener, but drew nine walks and two hit by pitches.
Boresta went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases and two walks, while Thompson reached base four times on three free passes and a hit by pitch.
Senior Ryan Contegni picked up the save in two innings of relief. Contegni allowed two hits and fanned one.
GAME TWO: Ithaca 18, St. Joseph's 2
Leading by a 3-0 score though four innings, the Bombers blew open Game Two with a seven-run fifth, a three-run sixth and five-run seventh.
Ithaca began the night cap with two runs in the top of the first inning. Junior Josh Savacool led off with a single and then went to third on a double from Thompson. A base hit from Bailey plated Savacool, followed by a sacrifice fly from W. Little to bring home Thompson.
Freshman Matt Carey got things started in the third inning with a single and stolen base. Carey then moved up to third on a passed ball and scored on another base hit by Bailey.
In the fifth, Carey once again led off with a single and was followed by a double off the bat of Thompson. Bailey drew a walk to load the bases and Carey scored on a hit by pitch to W. Little. Freshman Sam Little then stepped to the plate and walked to force in Thompson. Stanley kept the rally going with a two-RBI single that scored W. Little and Bailey. The fifth run scored on a base hit from Savacool that pushed Stanley across, and then Carey followed with an infield single to plate sophomore Jonathan Ripic. The final run scored on an error which allowed Savacool to come home.
Henchey highlighted the sixth with a two-run home run with W. Little on base via a walk. S. Little eventually capped off the inning on a passed ball after reaching on a single through the right side.
Ithaca added five more runs in the seventh on five hits. Bailey scored on an error off the bat of freshman Adam Gallagher, and then sophomore Chris Fiaschetti raced home on a single to the pitcher from S. Little. Three straight singles from junior Ryan Dougherty, freshman Jake Generali and Carey brought home the final three runs of the game for the Bombers.
Sophomore Tyler Hill tossed five innings in a winning effort with five strikeouts and three hits allowed. Junior Logan Barer pitched the final two innings and fanned three.
The Bombers recorded 20 hits in the finale, as Carey led the way with a 4-for-5 effort at the plate. Six players drove in two runs and collected at least two hits in the contest.
Ithaca opens its spring trip at Pomona-Pitzer at the 13th at 3 p.m. PST.