TROY, N.Y. – Three runs in the ninth inning cost the Union College baseball team in the opening round of the Liberty League Tournament, as the Garnet Chargers fell 8-7, to #30 Ithaca College on Thursday afternoon at Robison Field.

Junior Sam Strazza and sophomore Cooper Ames each registered three hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Senior Ryan Cowles drove in three runs on two hits.

Union jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. Senior Sebastian Pike drew a walk to put one runner on with one out. Strazza hit a homerun into deep right for his fifth homerun of the year. Ames hit a single into center field and Cowles followed it up with a double down the right field line.

Ithaca tied it up in the bottom of the third. The Bombers loaded the bases and a sac fly by Ethan McDonough plated one. After loading the bases again, a double by Tyler Pugliese tied the game at three.

Union struck back in the top of the fourth. A single by Strazza and a double by Ames put a pair in scoring position. Cowles lined a single to right center to drive in his teammates and put Union up 5-3.

Ithaca tied the game up when Colin Shashaty sent a two-run homerun over the left field fence in the sixth.

Union regained the lead in the eighth inning. Sophomore Caleb Miller hit a leadoff double to left center. Pike drew a walk and sophomore Nico Lambros entered the game as a pinch runner. A balk moved both runners over. Strazza was intentionally walked to load the bases. A single by Ames down the left field line drove in two runs to put Union up 7-5.

The Bombers loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth and cut the lead to one on a catcher's interference call. With two outs, an error by first-year Noah DiCaprio in right field saw two runs score and Ithaca come away with the walk off win.

First-year Jack Collins pitched 6.2 innings with five runs on seven hits and five strikeouts. Junior Alex Erickson is tagged with the loss after pitching two innings with two hits and three runs, all unearned, and two strikeouts.

Union looks to stave off elimination tomorrow morning with a game against RPI after the Engineers dropped a 3-1 decision to Rochester. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m. at Robison Field.