                         |
 |
 |
1988
BRISTOL, Conn.—Paired with Wisconsin-Oshkosh for the third time during World Series week, the Bombers rallied from a 5-2 deficit to beat the Titans, 7-5, and win the program’s second national championship.
Ithaca began its rally in the seventh inning when sophomore outfielder Vince Roman drove in two runs with a two-out single. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning, senior catcher Fritz Hamburg and sophomore outfielder Dan Eckert drew walks to give Ithaca the lead, and Roman added to the margin with another RBI single.
Sophomore Joe Sottolano pitched on one day’s rest in relief of starter Brian DeLola and went two-and-a-third innings without yielding a run. With two outs in the ninth inning, sophomore closer Carl Graetz retired the final batter for his third save of the week.
Earning all-tournament honors along with Sottolano and Roman were junior outfielder Steve Graham, a .364 hitter during the series, and junior first baseman Tim Wilson, who drove in seven runs in the tournament.
Ithaca opened World Series play with a 6-4 victory over Methodist. DeLola, a sophomore, yielded only two earned runs, and Graetz picked up the save. Sottolano then pitched the Bombers past Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 3-2, on a complete-game seven-hitter.
The Bombers then fell to Wisconsin-Oshkosh, 11-3. Facing elimination, Ithaca overcame a 2-0 Marietta lead to beat the Pioneers, 7-3. Graetz got the save in relief of winner Doug Duell, and Wilson drove in four runs.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | 3 | ||
| Wisconsin- Oshkosh |
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 11 | 3 |
| Ithaca | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | x | - | 7 | 10 | 2 |
E — Schreiber (W-O), Peltzer (W-O), Gullickson (W-O), Burns (IC), DeLola (IC).
LOB — Wisconsin-Oshkosh 11; Ithaca 6.
2B — Schliem (W-O), McDonald (W-O) 2; Peerenboom (W-O), Milano (IC).
SB — Schliem (W-O), Graham (IC), Eckert (IC).
CS — Graham (IC), Wilson (IC).
SH — Schreiber (W-O), Milano (IC).
SF — Brooks (W-O).
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | |
| Peltzer (W-O) | 6.2 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Gullickson (W-O) | 0.2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Kuehn (W-O) | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| DeLola | 6.1 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Sottolano (IC), W | 2.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Graetz (IC), S | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
WP — DeLola (IC).
T-2:52.
A-500