HOBOKEN, N.J. – The Ithaca College baseball team opened up Empire 8 Conference play with a doubleheader split at Stevens Institute of Technology on Saturday.  Ithaca fell in Game One, 9-3, but answered with a 13-4 win in Game Two. In the night cap, the Bombers drilled five home runs as they head into tomorrow's game with an 8-9 overall record.

GAME ONE: Stevens 9, Ithaca 3

The Bombers found themselves in a 2-0 hole after the first inning as Stevens (14-9) drove in runs via a double and sacrifice fly, but Ithaca answered with a run in the second.

In the frame, the Bombers drew four consecutive walks to push home their first run of the game. Senior Zach Cole picked up the RBI as freshman Andrew Bailey crossed the plate. Stevens would go to its bullpen, and Ithaca's next three batters were retired in order to erase the threat.

Ithaca knotted the game at 2-2 in the fourth on an RBI groundout by freshman Sam Little with junior Ryan Henchey on third. Henchey led off the inning reaching on an error and found his way to third after a walk and sacrifice bunt.

In the bottom half of the fourth, Stevens regained the lead at 3-2 on three straight singles with two outs. A potential fourth run in the game was thrown out at the plate on the RBI base hit.

The opener knotted up at 3-3 on a groundout from Bailey which brought home junior Brennan McCormack, who recorded Ithaca's first hit of the game with one out in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Stevens broke the game open with six runs on three home runs. The Ducks started things off with back-to-back solo shots, and then after a sac fly, a three-run round tripper capped off the inning.

Sophomore Tyler Hill took the loss for Ithaca in 5.2 innings of work. Hill gave up nine runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts.

GAME TWO: Ithaca 13, Stevens 4

The Bombers ended Stevens' seven-game winning streak  in a powerful way, going deep five times in the 13-4 victory in Game Two. Ithaca finished the night cap with 15 hits, including nine extra base hits.

Junior Ryan Dougherty started off the night cap with a solo homer in the top of the first.

Stevens would tie the game in its first at bat of the contest, but the Bombers would tack on six runs in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Henchey went yard with one out. After a walk to senior John Stanley, Bailey doubled to put both runners into scoring position. A groundout by freshman Matt Carey brought in Stanley to give Ithaca a 3-1 lead.

The Bombers strung together a four-run, two-out rally in the fifth on a grand slam by Bailey. S. Little, Henchey and Stanley scored on the long-ball.

Stevens got two runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but Ithaca put up a five-spot in the eight on two more home runs. S. Little drilled a three-run shot after a pair of walks and a sacrifice bunt. Henchey then singled and freshman Jake Generali followed with his first career homer to cap off the inning.

Ithaca's final run of the game came on an RBI double off the bat of junior Trevor Thompson to bring in classmate Josh Savacool.

Bailey, Carey and Savacool also doubled in the game.

Senior Benji Parkes tossed a complete game for the Bombers in his second win of the season. Parkes gave up four runs on nine hits with six strikeouts.

The conference foes will square off again tomorrow at 3 p.m.