March 21, 2009
Bombers Outlast Shoremen In 10, 9-7
Tozzolo Hits Home Run and Drives In Three For WC

CHESTERTOWN, MD - Visiting Ithaca College scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning to snap a 7-7 tie as the Bombers downed host Washington College, 9-7, on Saturday afternoon in 10 innings at Athey Baseball Park. The Bombers improved to 7-3 with the victory, while the Shoremen slipped to 6-5 with the loss.

With one out in the top of the 10th, three Bombers walked to load the bases. Ithaca's Kurt Bednarcyk was the fourth straight batter to walk and forced in Brian Grastorf to put the visitors up 8-7. The next batter, Dylan Perez plated Conor Thompson on an RBI groundout to make it 9-7. In the bottom of the 10th, winning pitcher Dan Lynch retired the Shoremen in order to end the game.

The Shoremen jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when senior Tony Tozzolo (Calvert County, MD/Northern) launched his second home run of 2009 over the left field wall. The Bombers responded with three unearned runs in the top of the second to grab a 3-1 lead. Bednarcyk evened the game at 1-1 on a RBI groundout that scored Rob Zappia. With two outs, Perez singled to right field to plate two Ithaca runs and give the Bombers a 3-1 cushion. Ithaca added three more runs in the top of the third to make it 6-1. Thompson made it 4-1 on a sacrifice fly that scored Alan Kartholl. With two outs in the third, Bednarcyk hit a two-run single up the middle to put the guests up by a 6-1 margin.

Washington got two runs of its own in the bottom of the third to cut the Ithaca lead to 6-3. Senior Doug Lutz (Pitman, NJ/Pitman) scored on a wild pitch and freshman Ryan Normoyle (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape) crossed home on a failed pickoff attempt as the Shoremen now trailed by three runs.

The Shoremen scored four runs in the fourth inning to grab a 7-6 lead. Normoyle drove in freshman John Rolewicz (Bear, DE/Salesianum) on a fielding error to trim the Bombers' lead to 6-4. Tozzolo leveled the game at 6-6 on a two-run single to right field that plated junior Brian Kramer (Fairfax, VA/W.T. Woodson) and Lutz. Washington regained the lead at 7-6 when Normoyle scored on an RBI groundout off the bat of junior Matt Boucher (Alexandria, VA/Bishop Ireton).

Ithaca would tie the score at 7-7 in the top of the sixth when Perez drove in Matt Samela on an RBI groundout. The score would remain 7-7 until the top of the 10th.

For the Bombers, Bednarcyk and Perez both drove in four runs on the day, while Samela, Zappia, Grastorf and Thompson each scored two runs. Ithaca had just seven hits, but worked out 10 walks on the afternoon. Lynch picked up the victory, tossing the final five innings of the contest for Ithaca and improves to 2-1 on the season. He allowed just two hits, struck out three and allowed zero runs in his five innings of work.

Tozzolo sparked Washington's offense with three RBI and two hits on the afternoon. Freshman Ben Keaton (Arlington, VA/Flint Hill School) also churned out two hits for the Shoremen. Lutz and Normoyle each crossed home plate twice. Senior Greg Perret (Morris Plains, NJ/Bayley Ellard) took the loss and falls to 1-1 on the season. Freshman pitcher Hunter Draheim (Hollywood, MD/Leonardtown) tossed seven innings for Washington, allowing just four hits and two runs while fanning four batters.

The Shoremen open Centennial Conference play Tuesday with a 3:30 p.m. game at Franklin & Marshall.

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