Ithaca, NY – Seth Albert scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth to help the Clarkson University Baseball team pick up a doubleheader split against Ithaca College, dropping the first 6-4 but taking the nightcap 5-4 on Friday afternoon.

The Golden Knights moved to 8-6 on the season and 2-3 in Liberty League contests, while Ithaca saw its mark go to 11-8 and 4-1. The two teams are scheduled to play once more on Saturday morning.

In the opening contest, the Golden Knights jumped on the Ithaca starter, plating four runs in the first frame. Seth Albert was hit by a pitch and stole second to start, then came around on a single from Aidan Kuefner. After Kuefner stole second and Joe Figliolino was hit by a pitch, both runners moved up two bases as Kuefner stole third and scored on a throwing error. Figliolino then scored on another error and Christopher Griggs ended up circling the bases as well, the last 90 feet coming on a wild pitch, to make it 4-0.

The Bombers were held off the board until the top of the fifth when they tied the score with four runs of their own. Riley Brawdy started things off with a solo shot to right. Ethan Fantel singled home Andrew McDermett and later scored himself on a wild pitch. Ethan Daddabbo scored on a throwing error to tie the game 4-4.

After the first, Clarkson was held relatively quiet by long reliever Jack Coyler. Coyler didn't allow a baserunner until the fifth when the Knights did challenge with runners on the corners. Coming up empty that inning proved costly, as Ithaca scored the go-ahead run in the sixth with two outs. McDermett doubled to right to score one and Fantel singled in another run to make it 6-4.

Coyler finished the game with seven innings of relief, allowing just one hit and no walks with six strikeouts. Sean Kelly came on in the ninth and ended up with the save, striking out one. Nathan Hartley took the loss for Clarkson, throwing the final 4.1 innings of the contest.

In game two, Ithaca scored twice in the second to start things off. Fantel singled and Matt Curtis doubled to put a pair of runners in scoring position with one out. Zack Sperger's ground out drove in the first run and then Curtis finished his trip around the bases by scurrying home on a wild pitch.

The Knights broke their long run of scoreless frames with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Seth Albert singled to right and advanced around thanks to a passed ball and two ground outs, the second of which gave an RBI to Figliolino. Clarkson tied the game in the fifth as James Mason led off with a walk and then rushed to second on a sacrifice bunt by CJ Cartier. A wild pitch and a fly to center by Beau Vardion allowed Mason to score, tying it at 2-2.

For the first time all day both teams scored in the same inning, doing so in the sixth of game two. McDermott scored on a single by Ryan Laubscher, and the latter later scored on a single up the middle by Curtis. Clarkson got one of those runs back in the bottom half of the frame when Kuefner scored, as he started with a one-out single, moved to second on a walk, to third on a wild pitch, and then finally finishing the circuit thanks to James Mason's sac fly to left.

Clarkson had chances to tie or take the lead late, putting runners on second and third with one out and loading the bases with two down in the seventh, but coming up empty. Down to their last out in the ninth, Clarkson would end up tying the score. With one out in the ninth, pinch-hitter Christopher Griggs reached when he was hit by a pitch and Seth Albert followed with a single, moving pinch-runner Colby Fox up to second. After a strikeout left the Knights with just one out to play with, Figliolino kept the rally alive with a single, scoring Fox from second base and pushing Albert up to third. A wild pitch then ended the game as Albert scampered home with the winning run.

Offensively, Kuefner had both hits for the Knights in the opener and then picked up another hit in game two. Albert was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored in game two and CJ Kanick was 2-for-3 with a walk. Nicholas Hofacker had the start for the Knights in game two, going 5.2 innings with four strikeouts, but it was Jason McGee who would claim the win in relief, fanning three in 3.1 innings of work and keeping the Bombers off the board.