The Ithaca College softball team tallied two Liberty League wins against the St. Lawrence University Saints on April 19. An early start time and multiple rain delays did not deter the team as it defeated the Saints 5-3 and 10-2.
Game 1
In the Bombers’ first plate appearance, senior shortstop Sela Scheinman hit a double to right center field. Junior second baseman Cate Murray hit a sacrifice bunt, allowing Sheinman to advance to third. Scheinman quickly scored off a single by sophomore first baseman Elise Waddington, and Waddington followed at the next at-bat. The South Hill squad nearly batted through the order before ending the inning 4-0.
With senior pitcher Anna Cornell on the mound, the Saints had no hits for the first three innings, but when their opportunity came, they hit big. A home run during the top of the fourth brought the score to 4-1 before the game ground to a halt in the fifth inning.
Storm clouds had been looming over the field since the first inning, and as soon as rain started to fall, the Bombers rushed to cover the diamond. Play was delayed by almost an hour, and head coach Kelly Robichaud said the team stayed motivated despite the delays.
“They had a good dance party, and they kept the energy high,” Robichaud said. “They came out ready to roll.”
The South Hill squad got back on track with a sacrifice hit from sophomore right fielder Anna Bello. Bello’s fly ball gave junior catcher Haley Petrucci the opportunity to score. Robichaud said the team has talked about sacrifice plays in practice, and she encourages players to use bunting to keep the other team off balance.
Despite scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning, the Saints were unable to catch up, leaving the Bombers with a 5-3 victory.
Game 2
The Bombers set the tone for Game 2 with a series of big plays in the third inning. When Waddington hit a single, Murray, who was on first base, saw the Saints scrambling in the outfield and took a risk. She sprinted toward third, and with the ball still changing hands, she slid into home.
Next up to bat was Petrucci. With two strikes and the Saints’ fans jeering for her to strike out, she sailed the ball into the parking lot. Both Petrucci and Waddington scored, leaving the Bombers up 3-0.
The teams traded runs, making the score 4-1, but rain in the fifth inning created a repeat of Game 1. Players ran toward the dugout, parents went to their cars and the announcer said the game was cancelled, but a few minutes later, the Bombers started running back onto the field.
“Luckily [the weather] surprised me and the sun came back out, which is fun and exciting,” Robichaud said. “It was one of those things where we had already gotten that far, so why not try and finish it off?”
Energy remained high when Scheinman hit a triple in the bottom of the sixth. Junior left fielder Jessie Lopez and graduate student outfielder Belle de Oliveira scored, with Scheinman scoring as the Saints’ catcher failed to catch a ball during the next play.
With the rain still coming down, and the Bombers up 10-2, the game was called at six innings.The Bombers go on the road for a doubleheader against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons at 3 p.m. April 23 in Cortland, NY.
