ITHACA, N.Y. — The No. 21-ranked Ithaca College softball team saw its postseason come to a close on Saturday afternoon, falling 9-1 to No. 9 Texas Lutheran University in the NCAA Regional Championship final at Kostrinsky Field. The Bulldogs capitalized on early scoring opportunities and were powered by a standout performance from Serena Gonzalez, who was later named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.
Gonzalez set the tone early, launching a two-run home run on a full count after a nine-pitch battle with Ithaca starter Anna Cornell. Texas Lutheran added to its lead moments later with a successful double steal, as Harleigh Russell crossed the plate on a throwing error to make it 3-0.
The Bombers responded in the top of the second with a bit of two-out magic. Belle de Oliveira delivered an RBI single to score Anna Bello, cutting into the Bulldogs' early lead. After Jessie Lopez drew a walk to put two runners on, Texas Lutheran turned to junior reliever Katelyn Howard. She ended the threat by inducing a flyout to center from Sela Scheinman, preserving the Bulldogs' 3-1 advantage.
Annie Kay brough home another run for Texas Lutheran when she hit a sacrifice fly that made it 4-1 during the next half inning. The Bulldogs continued to apply pressure throughout the game, while Gonzalez added a second two-run home run to cap her dominant day at the plate. Kay also came up clutch during the bottom of the fourth, driving in a pair off of Mady Rowell.
With an 8–1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, Linzee Leal sparked the inning with a leadoff single to right field. Two batters later, Annie Kay worked a 3–0 count before sealing the game with a walk-off double into the right-center gap, invoking the eight-run rule and clinching the regional title for the Bulldogs.
Despite the loss, Ithaca had several bright spots over the weekend. Belle de Oliveira, Sela Scheinman, and Anna Bello were each named to the Ithaca Regional All-Tournament Team for their strong performances.
This marked just the second-ever meeting between Ithaca and Texas Lutheran, with both contests taking place during this year's NCAA Regional. The Bombers conclude their season with a 30-8 overall record — their highest win total since 2018.