The Ithaca College softball team witnessed history in the making in a doubleheader against its Liberty League Championship Tournament rival, the Clarkson University Golden Knights, on April 18. Senior pitcher Anna Cornell broke IC’s career strikeout record — the first player to do so in over 20 years.
Although the Bombers lost game one 6-4, they rallied for a 13-1 victory in game two.
Cornell’s pitching has been a driving force behind the Bombers’ dominant season, with an average of 0.84 earned runs per game. The last strikeout record was set by Abby Hanrahan ‘03, who recorded 576 strikeouts over 593.1 innings and was inducted into the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019. Cornell recorded 579 strikeouts over 395.2 innings.
Head coach Kelly Robichaud said the team had been looking forward to this milestone. When Cornell struck out her 577th batter in the top of the second inning, the Bombers stormed the field while music blasted throughout the stadium.
“[The team] did a great job of celebrating it and then getting back to work,” Robichaud said.
Game 1
The Bombers took an early lead in the bottom of the first when junior catcher Haley Petrucci hit a flyball into centerfield, bringing in junior second baseman Cate Murray and senior shortstop Sela Scheinman. Both made it across the plate on a throwing error, and the Bombers ended the inning up 4-0.
Despite her strong start, Cornell was pulled after four runs by the Golden Knights in the third inning, tying the game 4-4. The Bombers’ defense rallied, making smart passes and handling ground balls, but nothing could stop Clarkson’s senior pitcher Devin Fitzpatrick as she shut out the South Hill squad for the rest of the game.
In the sixth inning, sophomore first baseman Elise Waddington demonstrated the South Hill squad’s defensive strengths. When a Golden Knight looked like she was about to make a run for second, Waddington swiftly fielded the ball and tagged her out. The defensive comeback in the later innings was not enough to keep the Golden Knights from securing the 6-4 victory.
Game 2
The scoring drought followed the Bombers into Game 2. Both teams only had one single in the first inning until Clarkson’s sophomore first baseman Lexi Rydelek hit a home run at the team’s first plate appearance in the second.
The Golden Knights saw an opportunity for another run when no one caught senior right fielder Bridget Kerwin’s hit into right field. Kerwin rounded first base, then second, but she underestimated the Bombers when she tried to make it to third. The ball changed hands from right field to shortstop before finally reaching third base. Kerwin slid in at the last second, and the crowd waited for the call. Cheers broke out on the Bombers’ side of the stands when the ump declared her out.
The Bombers found their groove in the third inning, earning an explosive five runs in three at-bats. Maynard and graduate student outfielder Belle de Oliveira scored two more runs just minutes later, bringing the score to 7-1. The South Hill squad poured onto the field for the second time that day, and from there it was a cakewalk.
The Bombers scored six more runs in the fourth inning in was a group effort, with five players earning two runs each. The South Hill squad ended the game with a mercy rule 13-1 victory.
Robichaud said the biggest adjustment the team made going into Game 2 was its energy.
“We talked about barreling up the ball a little more,” Robichaud said. “Finding a way to score some more runs and be the best.”
After the April 18 doubleheader, the Bombers faced the St. Lawrence University Saints on April 19. Robichaud said the team is used to the fast-paced schedule, and they were ready to play four games in two days.
“It’s always about preparing,” Robichaud said. “You know, get a good night’s sleep tonight, make sure we’re hydrating, make sure we’re prepared and come out ready to go.”
The Bombers are leaving South Hill for a doubleheader against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons on April 23 in Cortland, NY.
