SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Ithaca College baseball team swept through the Liberty League Tournament for the second consecutive season as the Bombers dropped RIT, 6-4, in the title game on Saturday at Castle Diamond in Saratoga Springs. Ithaca will now move onto the Division III Championship for the 50th all-time appearance in program history with a 28-14 record.

At the conclusion of the game, Matt Chase was named the tournament's most outstanding performer after he threw 4.0 scoreless innings of relief on Saturday with four strikeouts to just one walk and four hits allowed to pick up the victory.

RIT wasted no time in building a lead as the Tigers plated three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning. RIT led off the inning with a single and walk, then a sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. A two-run single ensued, and after the first out was recorded, another run base hit delivered the third run.

IC answered in the top of the second inning with a pair of runs to cut its deficit to 3-2. Matt Fabian led off with a double to right field and Colin Shashaty followed with a single and stolen base. Riley Brawdy would drive in Fabian for the Bombers' first run on a fielder's choice and Gil Merod brough in Shashaty with a sac fly.

RIT got a run back in the bottom of the second on a bases loaded hit by pitch, but Garrett Bell worked his way out of the jam by inducing a 5-2-3 double play to keep IC within two runs at 4-2.

In the top of the third inning, IC loaded the bases on walks to Collin Feeney and Fabian and a hit by pitch to Louis Fabbo. Shashaty then drew the third walk of the inning to plate Feeney and move IC to within a run at 4-3, but the Bombers were unable to push another run home.

Ithaca had a chance to tie the game in the top of the seventh as Feeney led off with an infield single and Fabbo followed with a walk. Feeney would be thrown out at third trying to advance on a wild pitch and Fabbo was gunned down at the plate on a groundball to second base. The Bombers would breakthrough, however, as Garrett Callaghan scored from second base on an infield single by Shashaty to tie the game at 4-4.

The Bombers took their first lead of the contest on a two-run home run to left field by Ethan Rothstein with Merod on base to take a 6-4 advantage, which would eventually be the game-winning hit.

In the bottom of the ninth inning, RIT loaded the bases with one out on a double, walk and single, but the Bombers secured the victory on a game-ending double play as a runner was called out for interference.

Fabian and Shashaty both had two hits in the win as IC finished with eight on the day.

The NCAA Selection Show is set for 12 p.m. on Monday, May 15. The Bombers will find out who and where they will play for the upcoming NCAA Regional.