Wells Baseball Honors Seniors; Falls To Ithaca

The Wells College baseball team concluded its 2018 season with a 9-5 loss to Ithaca College on Saturday, May 5 at the Wells Turf Field.

Wells finished its season with a 15-20 record, a two-win improvement over its inaugural season in 2017. Ithaca is 25-14.

Prior to the game, Wells honored its two seniors on Senior Day festivities -- Christian Jorden, a relief pitcher from Watertown, New York and Justin Forster, an outfielder from East Otto, New York.

Ithaca scored twice in the first and added three more in the top of the fourth. Wells got a run back in the bottom of the fourth on a towering homer to centerfield by Brandon Shirley.

The Bombers added single runs in each of the last four innings.

Wells scored one in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Dylan Nolan to bring in Justin Forster, who tripled to start the inning.

Andrew Babcock doubled for Wells to left field in the seventh to score Anthony Aumick.

In the ninth, the Express added two more runs on a sac fly by Babcock to bring in Aumick. Tanner Dunkel later singled to bring in Mark Yorkey.

Aumick was 3-for-3 and scored twice. Brandon Shirley had two hits including the solo homer.

Shirley was the starting pitcher for Wells and allowed six runs on 10 hits through six innings with three strikeouts. Zach Kemp pitched two innings of relief and Derek Shea pitched the ninth.

The game was the second all-time meeting between Wells and Ithaca. Wells College head coach David Valesente led the Express against the team coached by his father, George. George Valesente has fashioned a legendary coaching career at the helm of the Ithaca College program. He has led the Bombers to two national championships, 30 NCAA berths, and more than 1,000 wins in his 40 seasons at Ithaca College. Ithaca won the 2017 meeting 9-8.