The Ithaca College baseball team defeated the Houghton College Highlanders 12–6 and improved their overall to 13–8 and 5–3 on the season in Empire 8 play. The Highlanders fell to 10–13 and 1–7 in Empire 8 play. The losing pitcher for the Highlanders was freshman Brandon Joslin. The starting pitcher for the Bombers, sophomore Zach Zottola, improved to 1–2 for the season with the win.
The Bombers struck first by scoring two runs to open up the afternoon. They added another run in the second inning when sophomore second baseman Jake Generali scored on a wild pitch.
In the third inning, the Blue and Gold added another run when senior catcher Ryan Henchey hit a double, scoring sophomore utility player Webb Little.
The next batter, sophomore catcher Adam Gallagher, hit a long triple that landed just in front of the warning track to score Henchey and make it a 5–0 game. The Bombers’ third inning only had two outs.
The Bombers added another run in the fifth inning thanks to a single by Generali. Houghton began a comeback, scoring two runs in the sixth inning from a single by freshman outfielder David Wessells to make it a 7–2 ballgame.
In the sixth inning, sophomore outfielder Sam Little hit a single, scoring Webb Little. Henchey went to plate and hit a double down the line scoring Sam Little to extend the Bombers lead to 8–2.
The Bombers added another four runs with a double from senior shortstop Trevor Thompson and Sam Little in the bottom of the seventh inning to make it a 12–4 game.
Sophomore first baseman Jackson Smith talked about getting his first career hit.
“It felt pretty good. Obviously it wasn’t like the best swing I’ve ever taken, but I hit the bat well and dropped it in there,” said Smith.
“I think we just try and get out pitches to hit, honestly, and they were throwing strikes so we went out there with an aggressive approach like we usually do and tried to just get a pitch to drive it,” Gallagher said about how the offense came alive in the game today.
The Bombers’ next game is at 4 p.m. April 14 in Canton, New York, for a three–game set against the SUNY Canton Kangaroos.
