ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team erupted for 10 runs on nine hits in the 10th inning to defeat Utica College, 15-5, on Sunday afternoon at Freeman Field to improve to 14-11 overall on the season and 7-5 in the Empire 8 Conference. The 15 runs and 19 hits on the day are both season-highs for the Bombers.

Ithaca got on the board in the top of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead as senior Domenic Boresta stroked a triple over the Utica centerfielder's head and an errant throw to third base allowed him to scamper home.

The Bombers had an opportunity to add more runs in the frame after Boresta scored, as junior Garrett Snyder followed with a single and freshman Jack Lynch doubled, but the inning ended with a strikeout.

In the top of the third, IC extended its lead to 2-0 on an RBI double down the left field line by junior Webb Little, which plated fellow junior Jake Generali from third. Generali led off the inning with a walk and found his way across the diamond on a stolen base and failed pickoff attempt.

Utica got on the board in the bottom of the fourth in an unconventional way. A Pioneer batter reached on a strikeout-wild pitch and then advanced to second. He then scored from second on a fielding error by the Bomber defense.

IC added two more runs to its lead in the top of the seventh inning to take a 4-1 advantage. Freshman Chris Dietz led off with a double to left and Generali walked to put two runners on with no outs. A single to right field by W. Little loaded the bases. Dietz wound up scoring on an RBI fielder's choice by junior Sam Little and then Generali came home on a double steal.

Ithaca threatened to put the game out of reach in the top of the eight by loading the bases on a Lynch single, a walk by Dietz and a hit by pitch to Generali. W. Little then stepped to the plate and roped a line drive destined to go down the right field line, but Utica's first baseman made a leaping grab to end the inning.

Utica answered in the bottom of the eighth with a two-run home run by Adam Nell to make the score, 4-3, in favor of the Bombers, and after a single and hit by pitch, junior Matt Eiel entered the game for senior Robby Buffis.

The first pitch after the change scooted away from Dietz to allow the lead Utica runner to move up the third, and a throwing error on the play brought that runner in to tie the game at 4-4.

Buffis went 7.2 innings and struck out 10 batters (four looking) and gave up four runs (two earned) on six hits.

IC regained the lead, 5-4, in the top of the ninth inning on a bloop single to right-center by Boresta to bring home S. Little from second.

In the bottom of the ninth, Utica loaded the bases with no outs, which forced the Bombers to make a pitching change. Sophomore Trevor Rumsey entered for Eiel and the first batter he faced tied the game with a sac fly to right field. Rumsey then induced an inning-ending double play to send the game into extra innings.

The Bombers blew the game open in the top of the 10th with 10 runs on nine hits to come away with the 15-5 win.

S. Little got things started with a two-run double, which brought home Generali and W. Little to give IC a 7-5 lead. After a pitching change, Gallagher walked to load the bases and then Boresta drove in two more – Fontana and S. Little – with a double to left-center to extend Ithaca's lead to 9-5.

A few pitches later, Lynch laced a single to left which scored Gallagher and Boresta to give IC an 11-5 lead. The inning continued with a ringing RBI double to left-center off the bat of Dietz to bring home Lynch from first.

Junior John Peterson entered as a pinch hitter and stroked a two-run double to right-center to push the lead out to 14-5, and then S. Little ripped his second double of the frame to make the score 15-5 as Peterson scored from third.

Rumsey earned his first victory of the season in two hitless innings of relief with two strikeouts.

Boresta went 3-for-6 with three RBI, while S. Little was 2-for-7 with four RBI. Lynch collected three hits in five at bats, while W. Little also recorded a three-hit outing. Dietz was the fifth Bombers to notch a multi-hit game as he went 2-for-5.

The Bombers are back home on Wednesday, April 18, for an Empire 8 doubleheader against Houghton beginning at 1 p.m.