Softball | 3/13/2013 6:53:00 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Jen Biondi's perfect throw to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning to gun down the game-tying run sealed a 5-4 win for Ithaca College over the Methodist softball team as the Bombers completed a doubleheader sweep of the Monarchs. Ithaca won the opener, 3-0.
 
Trailing by two runs (5-3) entering the bottom of the seventh inning, Sarah Stapleton began the Monarchs' attempted rally with a one-out double to left. After Jordan Adam popped up for the second out, Lindsay Tippett blasted a double of her own to left center allowing Stapleton to score standing up.
 
Annie Zaremski came in to pinch run for the Monarchs and Katie Byrd followed with a single right back up the middle. As Zaremski rounded third, Biondi field the ball cleanly in center and threw a strike to the plate were Kelly Robichaurd handled the throw and hung on for the final out as her and Zaremski collided at the plate.
 
The game-ending play made helped Ithaca preserve the one-run win after the Bombers had rallied from a 3-2 deficit entering the top of the seventh. Robichaurd led off the inning with a single up the middle and was pulled for a pinch runner. Molly O'Donnell then laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Krystalyn Yonkin up to second. With one out, Julianne Vincent reached on an error, allowing Vincent to move to third giving Ithaca runners on the corners with one out. Francesca Busa tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI single up the middle.
 
After MU's Jessica Farmer got Sydney Folk to strikeout, Brooke Powers hit a two-out double off the wall in center, allowing two runs to score before she was thrown out trying to make it to third, as Ithaca assumed a 5-3 lead.
 
The Monarchs had taken a 2-0 lead after one by taking advantage of an Ithaca throwing error. Stapleton led off the game with a single and Jordan Adam followed with a ground ball back to the pitcher. However, the throw went all the way into right field allowing Stapleton to score all the way from first and Adams advanced to third on the play. Tippett then added an RBI single that scored Adams for a 2-0 lead.
 
MU made it 3-0 in the fourth inning. With runners on the corners and one out, MU put the runners in motion and a wild pitch allowed Ashley Shingleton to scamper home from third for a 3-0 lead.
 
The Bombers began their rally with a pair of runs in the fifth inning as Vincent hit a two-run double to left centerfield that scored Robichaud and Adrienne Walters to pull to within 3-2.
 
Ithaca's rally left MU starting pitcher Brittany Miller with a no decision. She allowed two runs on two hits and two walks in 4.1 innings. Jessica Phelps relieved her and surrendered one run on three hits and a walk in 1.2 innings. Jessica Farmer took the loss, surrendering two runs (0 ER) on two hits with a strikeout in 1.0 inning.
 
Allison Macari earned the win for Ithaca, giving up three runs (1 ER) on five hits and two walks with one strikeout in 6.0 innings. Sam Bender nailed down the save, allowing one run on three hits in one inning of work.
 
Stapleton finished a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored for the Monarchs. Tippett was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.
 
Busa was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Bombers. Robichaud was a perfect 2-for-2 with a walk and a run scored and Powers was 1-for-4 with two runs driven in.
 
In the opener, Bender held MU to just four hits in throwing a complete-game shutout. She did not walk a batter and struck out three. Farmer took the loss for Methodist, allowing three runs on five hits with no walks and two strikeouts in 7.0 innings.
 
Ithaca got all the offense it needed in the second inning when Powers hit a long three-run home run to left field for the game's only runs. Kelsey Harrington and Heather Williams were bot h1-for-2 for the Monarchs, while Ally Griffin and Tippett both finished 1-for-3.
 
Powers finished 2-for-3 with the three-run jack, while Biondi, Vincent and Casey Gavin all singled for Ithaca.
 
The Monarchs are back at it this weekend, travelling to Ferrum for a 12:00 pm doubleheader on Saturday, followed by a 12:00 pm twinbill at Maryville on Sunday.