ITHACA, N.Y. -  Ithaca College produced a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to defeat the University of Rochester, 1-0, in the Liberty League Softball Championship Game at Kostrinsky Field on Saturday afternoon.
 
The win puts the Bombers into the NCAA Tournament as a Pool A (league champion) participant. Rochester is a candidate for a Pool C (at-large) bid. Ithaca improved to 26-7-1. Rochester is 21-19. In the most recent set of regional rankings by the NCAA Division III Softball Championships Committee, Ithaca is #1 in the Northeast. Rochester is #4.
 
In the Liberty League tournament this week, second-seeded Rochester lost, 4-2, to third seeded RPI in the opening round. Top-seeded Ithaca edged #4 seed Clarkson, 1-0, in 10 innings. Rochester eliminated Clarkson from the tournament on Thursday with a 4-2 come from behind victory.
 
On Friday morning, Ithaca defeated RPI in the winner's bracket, 8-0, on the mercy rule after six innings. Rochester eliminated RPI with a 6-3 victory in a survivor's game. That set up a match between the Yellowjackets and Bombers on Saturday. If UR won the first game, the teams would have played a second game. That would have decided the bid. This game did, since IC was unbeaten in the tournament (3-0) and UR was 2-2.
 
Senior Elizabeth Bourne was outstanding in the circle for the Yellowjackets. She allowed one baserunner in the first six innings – a walk to pinch-hitter Alex Kimmel with one down in the third. A groundout advanced Kimmel to third, but Bourne induced Vanessa Brown to ground out ending the inning.
 
Ithaca didn't get its first hit until there was one down in the seventh. Nikkey Skuraton grounded out to second. Alex Wright doubled to left center and the Bombers sent in a pinch runner. Abby Shields lined out to Jessica Conforti at second and she beat the runner to the bag to complete the double play.
 
Both teams were active in the eighth. Alizah Ayon singled down the right field line and Anne Marie Cortes ran for her. After two popouts, Jen Carson drew a five-pitch walk that moved Cortes to second. Jessica Conforti singled up the middle to load the bases. The inning ended on Toni Anne Hahn's liner to first.
 
Ithaca loaded the bases in the eighth on a leadoff single and two bunts. Pinch-hitter Haley White lined a single off a drawn-in infield to score the winning run.
 
Rochester had six hits – two apiece by Ayon and Marissa Russo, one each by Harleigh Kaczegowicz and Conforti. In the UR third, Russo walked, then stole second as Sammi Re struck out. Alexis Pope walked. Ayon struck out. Kaczegowicz singled to short, loading the bases. Starting pitcher retired Gianna Melillo on a comebacker.
 
In the fourth, Carson walked and two outs later, Russo singled down the left field line with Carson stopping at second. Re flied out to end the inning. Ayon singled with one out in the fifth, but Kaczegowicz lined into a DP.
 
In seven innings, Bourne yielded three hits, one earned run, one walk,, and one strikeout. Emily Holden earned the win for Ithaca. She pitched the last four innings for the Bombers (four hits, one walk, two Ks). Fleming went the first four (two hits, four walks, three strikeouts).
 
The NCAA tournament selections will be announced at 1 pm Monday on NCAA.com.