ITHACA, N.Y. – The No. 21 nationally ranked Ithaca College softball team dropped a hard-fought 3–1 decision to No. 9 Texas Lutheran University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday morning at Kostrinsky Field. Despite the setback, the Bombers bounced back in dominant fashion, defeating UMass Boston 11-0 in an elimination game to advance to Saturday's Regional Championship.
NCAA Second Round – No. 9 Texas Lutheran 3, No. 21 Ithaca 1 (F)
The Bombers faced early pressure as Texas Lutheran's Annie Kay doubled with one out in the first inning. However, catcher Haley Petrucci came up big, throwing out Kay as she attempted to steal third—marking the first time Kay had been caught stealing all season (62 attempts).
Ithaca struck first in the top of the second. Anna Bello drew a walk, and Ava Rao was hit by a pitch, setting the stage for Belle de Oliveira, who delivered an infield single. A throwing error by the pitcher allowed Bello to score, giving the Bombers a 1–0 lead.
The Bulldogs responded quickly, tying the game in the bottom of the second with a solo home run from Taylor Vannet.
A pitcher's duel ensued over the next three innings, with Ithaca's Anna Cornell and Texas Lutheran's Amanda White each keeping hitters in check. The Bulldogs finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth, stringing together a pair of hits to plate two runs and take a 3–1 lead.
Ithaca was retired in order in the top of the seventh, sealing the win for Texas Lutheran. Cornell turned in a solid performance in the circle, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out three.
NCAA Second Round Elimination Game – Ithaca 11, UMass Boston 0 (F)
Ithaca applied immediate pressure in the top of the first against UMass Boston starter Jacqueline Cherry, putting runners on second and third with two outs. However, the Beacons escaped the early jam as Haley Petrucci popped out to the first baseman to end the threat.
In the circle for the Bombers, Anna Cornell also faced early traffic but responded with poise. With runners on second and third, she struck out the side to keep the game scoreless. Ithaca again would pose a threat in the top of the second, but this time Cherry was able to get Jessie Lopez to hit into a double play.
Mady Rowell entered in relief to start the bottom of the second and made an immediate impact, striking out two batters in a clean inning of work.
The Bombers broke through in the top of the third. Kailen Winkelblech delivered the game's first run with an infield single that featured wicked backspin, allowing Cate Murray to score and give Ithaca a 1–0 lead.
That momentum carried into the fourth inning, where Anna Bello led off with a solo home run to right-center. The ball just cleared the fence and ricocheted over, extending Ithaca's lead to 2–0. Sela Scheinman would then add to the lead driving in Belle de Oliveira on a sacrifice fly and Murray would then claim an RBI when she ripped a single back up the middle.
Ithaca extended its lead to 5–0 in the top of the fifth. Haley Petrucci, down 0–2 in the count, battled back and launched a solo home run off Izzy Lavasse, adding to the Bombers' offensive surge. In the bottom half of the inning, Mady Rowell continued her strong performance in the circle. Despite allowing a walk to Ella Delisle and a single to Sofie Richland, she worked out of the jam to preserve the shutout.
The Bombers blew the game wide open in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded and one out, Anna Bello stepped up once again and delivered in a big way. The sophomore outfielder crushed a no-doubt grand slam over the fence, pushing Ithaca's lead to 9–0.
The offensive onslaught didn't stop there. Ava Rao followed with a double, and Jessie Lopez singled off reliever Alexis Fleis. With runners on first and second, Sela Scheinman ripped a double into the right-center gap, clearing the bases and extending the lead to 11–0.
Mady Rowell capped off her stellar performance by striking out Mackenzie Cahill to record the final out, sealing the 11–0 shutout and sending Ithaca to the Regional Championship game. With the win, Rowell improved to 11–2 on the season. She allowed just three hits over five scoreless innings, striking out three and keeping the Beacons off balance throughout.
Next up, Ithaca College (30–7) will face No. 9 Texas Lutheran in the NCAA Regional Championship. The matchup serves as a rematch from Friday's second-round game, and the Bombers will need to defeat the Bulldogs twice on Saturday to keep their postseason run alive and punch their ticket to the Super Regionals. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.