SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton baseball team (26-10) put together a late rally, but dropped a 10-8 decision to the Ithaca College Bombers (26-9) in non-conference action on Monday evening at Volpe Field in Scranton.

Trailing 10-4, the Royals got two runs apiece back in the seventh and eighth innings but were unable to get any closer in the 10-8 setback.

Ithaca got on the board early with two runs in the top of the first, but the Royals answered with three in the home half of the second as junior Pat Coyne (Randolph, N.J./Morristown-Beard) knocked in a run with an RBI single and freshman Robert Schneider (Millburn, N.J./Millburn) plated a run with a sac fly to make it a 3-2 game for the time being.

However, the Bombers were able to respond with four runs in the top of the third including a two-run double from Ethan Rothstein that restored the lead.

Junior righty Dominic Chieffalo (Norristown, Pa./Malvern Prep) was dealt the loss for the Royals as he allowed six runs on 10 hits while walking three and fanning one over 2 1/3 IP.

The Bombers' Sean Kelley gave up three runs on four hits to go along with one walk in 2.0 IP.

Schneider registered his second sac fly of the game in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 6-4.

Ithaca then got a three-run shot from Logan Scully in the sixth inning to extend the advantage to 9-4 and added a run in the seventh before Scranton began to put together the late comeback attempt.

Senior John Zarnowski (East Brunswick, N.J./St. Joseph's) and junior Jake Elston (New Milford, Conn./Canterbury School) each came through with RBI singles in the seventh before Zarnowski plated two more runs with a two-run single in the eighth that trimmed the deficit to 10-8.

Scranton was retired in order in the ninth by Ithaca's Connor Burns ad saw the rally fall just short.

Coyne (3-5, 2B, 3 RBI, R) and Zarnowski (3-5, 3 RBI) led the way offensively, while Elston and sophomore Aidan Casey (Silver Beach, N.J./Don Bosco Prep) added two hits and two runs scored apiece.

Sophomore righty Matt Scepkowski (Normandy Beach, N.J./Saint Peter's Prep) scattered just two hits and fanned one over 2 1/3 IP of scoreless relief and freshman righty Joe Flannigan (Huntington, N.Y./Trinity-Pawling) retired the side in order on just seven pitches in his lone inning of work.

The Royals will hit the road to battle Wilkes on Tuesday afternoon in a crucial Landmark Conference matchup with first pitch slated for 3:30 p.m.

--ROYALS--