For the fourth straight game, the SUNY Oneonta baseball team rallied back from behind, but today their rally fell one run short, as they were edged by Ithaca College on the road, 7-6.  The Red Dragons found themselves behind early and came all the way back to tie the game at 6-6 before a single run for the Bombers in the bottom of the fifth inning proved to be the difference.

Ithaca jumped out to a 5-0 lead, which included a three-run third inning.  Oneonta (6-12) made some costly errors in the field that led to four of the runs being unearned.

Oneonta's big inning came in the top of the fourth when they put five runs on the scoreboard.  Junior Christopher Orlando (Putnam Valley/Putnam Valley) had an RBI double to drive in the first run of the inning while senior Dean Haussel (Sound Beach/Miller Place) tied the game with a two-run single up the middle.

After Ithaca pushed a run across in the bottom of the fourth, Oneonta came back to tie the game again in the top of the fifth.  Senior Thomas Hand (Wallkill/Valley Central) hit his second sacrifice fly of the game to drive in Orlando, who had led off the inning with a walk and eventually made it to third on a second walk and a fielder's choice.

The winning run in the bottom of the inning was scored on an infield single that drove in Mike Connolly, who had walked and stole two bases.

Haussel, Orlando and senior Ivan Plata (Guilderland/Guilderland) each collected two hits in the game.  Freshman Noah Raspler (East Northport/John H. Glen) took the loss in relief of starter, Jarred Bronley (Katonah/Somers).  Raspler allowed two earned runs in 2.1 innings after Bronley allowed five runs – one earned – in 2.2 innings.

Oneonta is scheduled to play its home opener on Saturday versus Plattsburgh.  The three-game series, which was supposed to start on Friday, was pushed back to Saturday and Sunday to help with field conditions.  Saturday's nine inning game will begin at 3pm.  Sunday's doubleheader is scheduled for a noon first pitch.