ITHACA, N.Y. - The Cortland softball team lost two one-run decisions in a non-league doubleheader at Ithaca College. Ithaca won the opener, 3-2, with all the runs for each team coming in the first inning, and the Bombers held on to win the second game, 4-3, after Cortland scored three times and had the potential tying run on third base in the top of the seventh.
 
Cortland falls to 17-10 with the losses, while Ithaca improves to 20-7. Cortland returns to SUNYAC play with home doubleheaders Friday versus Buffalo Stae and Saturday against Fredonia.
 
Ithaca 3, Cortland 2
 
Cortland took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Laila Smith (Guilderland) doubled with one out and Shelby LaMont (Amsterdam) followed with a two-run homer to right.
 
Ithaca, however, recorded three unearned runs in the bottom of the inning. Anna Bello singled with one out, and Elise Waddington reached on a two-out error to put runners on first and third. Cate Murray doubled to drive in two runs and, after Murray stole third, Haley Petrucci hit an RBI infield single. The Bombers threatened again in the second with runners on second and third with one but couldn't add to their lead.
 
Cortland had two prime opportunities to tie the game or take the lead but couldn't capitalize. The Red Dragons loaded the bases in the third on a Katie Stork (Massapequa) leadoff double, a Shannon Scotto (Putnam Valley/Lakeland) two-out walk and a Maggie Cummings (Holland Patent) hit by pitch, but a fielder's choice forceout ended the inning. In the fifth, Cortland again loaded the bases on a Smith single, a LaMont walk, a groundout that moved the runners up a base, and another Cummings hit by pitch. Ithaca escaped the jam with a forceout at home on a fielder's choice and a groundout to first.
 
Mady Rowell earned the win for Ithaca, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings. She walked three and struck out three. Taylor Brunn notched a save after giving up one hit and fanning two in two scoreless innings. Gianna Endeiveri (Glens Falls) was the tough-luck loser for Cortland, allowing five hits and no earned run with three strikeouts and two walks in a complete-game six innings.
 
Ithaca 4, Cortland 3
 
As in the first game, each team scored all of its runs in one inning. Ithaca put up four runs in the bottom of the fourth on Molly Gibson's RBI single, Petrucci's sacrifice fly, and a Murray two-run double. Cortland was held scoreless for the first six innings by Ithaca starter Maddie Collins before mounting a rally in the seventh.
 
Scotto led off the seventh with a single and pinch runner Anj Ferrara (Niskayuna) moved to second on a Lillian Morse (Burnt Hills/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) walk. Kaeli McAnally (Islip) single to drive in a run, and Cummings greeted reliever Kahlen Cornell with an RBI single to left to make it 4-2.
 
After a groundout advanced the runners to second and third, Ithaca recorded a lineout to third base for the second out. A wild pitch allowed McAnally to score and moved Cummings to third, and Stork was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and third. Brunn entered and earned her second save of the afternoon after getting the next hitter to pop up to second base.
 
Collins earned the win for Ithaca. She was charged with three runs on five hits in six-plus innings. Olivia DiSalvo (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) took the loss after giving up four runs on seven hits in four innings. She struck out one and walked three. Molly Farley (Goshen/Chester Academy) allowed no runs on three hits with a strikeout and two walks over the final two innings.
 
Cummings finished 2-for-3 and Morse went 1-for-2 with a walk for Cortland. Isabella Maynard went 3-for-4 with a double, Madison Schoenenberger was 2-for-3 with a walk, and Murray finished 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI for Ithaca.