ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team split its Empire 8 Conference doubleheader with Utica College on Saturday afternoon at Freeman Field. IC dropped the opener, 7-4, but bounced back in the night cap with a 3-0 win behind the arm of junior Jake Binder.

Ithaca was the visiting team for both matchups this afternoon, as the games were originally scheduled to be played at Utica, but unplayable field conditions forced the venue change. The Bombers are now 13-11 overall this season and 6-5 in the Empire 8, while Utica is 11-8 and 4-4.

GAME ONE: Utica 7, Ithaca 4

In the top of the first inning, Ithaca jumped out to a 4-0 lead as the Bombers batted around and produced four hits. Ithaca placed its first two batters of the game on base as junior Jake Generali led off with an infield single and fellow junior Andrew Bailey drew a walk. After a groundout moved both runners up, a wild pitch allowed Generali to come home for the first run of the contest.

Junior Adam Gallagher spotted IC with a 2-0 lead just a few pitches later with a line drive base hit to centerfield. The inning continued with a hit by pitch to freshman Alex Robinson and a base hit from senior Domenic Boresta to load the bases. After the second out of the frame was recorded, junior Cam Fuoti sent an offering up the middle to drive in the final two runs (Gallagher and Robinson) of the inning.

Utica tied the game up in the bottom of the first inning on three hits. The Pioneer rally started with a hit by pitch and then a double moved both runners into scoring position. A single to the right-center gap brought home both runners to make the score 4-2. A walk and catcher's interference prolonged the Utica at bat, and the Pioneers would cash in on the opportunity, as a single up the middle brought in two more runs. The inning ended on that run-scoring play as junior Garrett Snyder threw out a Utica runner at third base.

The game would remain tied until the bottom of the sixth when Utica scored three runs to come away with the victory. A two-out error kept the inning alive and the Pioneers capitalized with a bloop base hit to right to break the tie, and then a double to the right field wall pushed two more runs home.

Senior Jack Morello took this lose in 5.2 innings pitched. Morello allowed seven runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

Gallagher, Snyder and junior Sam Little each recorded two hits in the loss for IC. Gallagher also stole a base, as did freshman Jack Lynch.

GAME TWO: Ithaca 3, Utica 0

Runs came at a premium in the night cap as Binder and Utica's Alex Rocci squared off in a pitchers' duel, as neither hurler allowed a run over the first six innings of the game.

Binder proved to be more on his game today, as he went the distance and posted a complete game three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts for his fourth victory of the season.

Ithaca cracked the scoreboard in the top of the seventh as Generali drove in sophomore Marco Fontana with a one-out single to give the Bombers a 1-0 lead.

The Bombers added two more runs in the top of the eighth to take a 3-0 lead. An RBI single up the middle by Boresta gave IC a 2-0 lead as Gallagher scored from second. Gallagher led off with a walk and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Alex Robinson.

In the next at bat, Snyder beat out an infield single and the throw to first base sailed high down the right field line, which allowed Boresta to come all the way around to score from first base for the final run of the game.

Ithaca produced 10 hits in the victory. Generali, Bailey and Boresta each had two knocks in the contest.

IC and Utica are scheduled to play again tomorrow at 1 p.m.