ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 25 Ithaca College baseball team posted an impressive 5-0 win over Utica College in the first game of the Empire 8 Conference Baseball Tournament at Freeman Field behind eight shutout innings on the mound from senior Emmett Dunn. With the win, the Bombers are now 29-7 and advance to tomorrow's semifinal. Utica falls to 15-23 and will play in an elimination game at 4 p.m. later this afternoon.

The Bombers struck in the bottom of the first inning as senior Webb Little scored on a wild pitch with two outs to give IC a 1-0 lead. W. Little reached on a walk and moved over to third on a double to left-center off the bat of senior Adam Gallagher.

Ithaca once again placed two runners on in the bottom of the second after a base hit to left by sophomore Jack Lynch, but senior Garrett Snyder was robbed of base hit up the middle to save a run from scoring.

IC extended its lead to 2-0 in bottom of third on an RBI base hit by senior Cam Fuoti, which brought in W. Little, who led off with a double down the left field line.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bombers plated three runs on three hits to build their lead to 5-0. The first run of the frame, W. Little (reached on a single), came home on a double to left-center by senior Sam Little.  Fuoti then made the score 4-0 with a sacrifice left to left, which brought home senior Adam Gallagher. On the very next pitch, junior Buzz Shirley stroked a base hit to right and S. Little scored from second to cap off the inning.

In the top of the eighth, Utica put its first two runners on with a hit by pitch and walk, but Dunn induced a fielder's choice and double play to preserve the shutout.

Dunn finished the game with six strikeouts and three hits allowed for his seventh win of the year. Senior Christian LaLomia came on in relief in the ninth and struck out two batters.

W. Little and Lynch each had two hits in the win. W. Little also scored three runs, while Fuoti drove in two runs.

The Bombers will play the winner of Stevens and St. John Fisher tomorrow.