The Ithaca College softball team defeated the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 3–2 in extra innings on May 25. The Bombers avoided elimination to advance in the losers bracket of the NCAA Division III Softball Championships in Oklahoma City.

The game was a pitchers duel at the start, as neither team scored until the fourth inning. The Engineer’s broke the scoreless tie when sophomore left fielder Sierra Rosenzweig singled up the middle, scoring senior right fielder Katherine Shade. The Engineers extended their lead to 2–0 the following inning when Shade grounded out to Bombers junior shortstop Erika Anderson, scoring senior second baseman Amanda Lee.

The Bombers fired back in the sixth inning with two runs of their own. The first run came when junior right fielder Annie Cooney reached on a throwing error by Engineers senior first baseman Zoe Hinton, which scored junior second baseman Nikkey Skuraton and advanced senior outfielder Emily Bloom. The Bombers tied the score on the next at bat when freshman center fielder Gabby Laccona singled to leftfield, scoring Bloom.

After a scoreless seventh, the game went into the eighth inning where the Bombers were able to hold the Engineers to no runs in the top of the inning. In the bottom of the inning, Laccona walked and stole second. After getting herself into scoring position, she was able to score the game winning run when senior left fielder Allie Colleran doubled to left field, clinching the game for the Bombers.

The Bombers received a solid outing from junior pitcher Haley Congdon who pitched 3.2 innings in relief for the Bombers and picked up the win. Freshman pitcher Beth Fleming threw 2.2 innings for the Blue and Gold, and senior pitcher Payton Cutting threw 1.2 innings.

The Bombers now await the loser of the winners bracket game between Virginia-Wesleyan College and Luther College. Their game will be played at 4:00 p.m. May 26 in Oklahoma City.