The Ithaca College baseball team is no stranger to the pressures of postseason play. After three consecutive Liberty League titles, the Bombers will be entering the playoffs on May 2 with momentum and the rare opportunity to four-peat the conference championship.
This year’s senior class, anchored by veteran leadership and years of playoff experience, has the chance to graduate without ever losing a playoff game. Senior third baseman Ryan Laubscher said this playoff run is especially meaningful.
“My freshman year I wasn’t playing as much; I wasn’t starting,” Laubscher said. “Being in the forefront, being a leader on the team, and being able to do it myself with my best friends is the best feeling in the world.”
The Bombers will close out the regular season at home against SUNY Brockport on April 29, and the final in-conference series will take place against Hobart College with games on April 25 and 26. The Bombers won their last in-conference series against the University of Rochester, picking up an away win to clinch the series on April 18 after splitting the home doubleheader the day before. The full schedule and box scores can be found here.
Defending a reputation of dominance
“Every time we play our opponents, we feel like we have a target on our back because we win the league every year,” Laubscher said. “They want to take it from us, but it doesn’t feel like they can.”
Head Coach David Valesente is in his sixth year leading Ithaca College’s baseball program. He emphasized the importance of senior leadership in the team’s culture.
“Our guys are working hard and they’re hungry for it,” Valesente said. “We have a strong group of seniors who have really proven themselves on the field. Being in a position to compete for a conference championship is our goal and expectation every year.”
The Bombers are leaning on their experience as they head into the playoffs. Many of the team’s starters have seen postseason action before, and Laubscher believes that makes a difference.
“When I was a freshman a lot of underclassmen played, so there are a few of us that have ‘been there, done that,’” Laubscher said. “We used to be a lot younger – we returned a lot of our pitching from last year. We’ve gotten a lot more experience and it’s been working out that way.”
Both Laubscher and Valesente emphasized the importance of keeping a consistent strategy throughout the season. Laubscher is confident with the team’s system of playing aggressively to score first.
Cultivating a baseball dynasty in upstate New York
“Our mentality going into the playoffs is to just get it done the way we know how to do it,” Laubscher said. “We have to play our game – play fast and apply pressure. Our coach likes to steal a lot of bases and get an extra bag whenever we can.”
That approach mirrors what Valesente has emphasized from the dugout: stay sharp, stay focused, and let the rest take care of itself.
“We’re focusing on playing quality baseball games, throwing quality pitches, and having quality at-bats,” Valesente said. “If we can play clean baseball and play against the game rather than worry about the opponent, we’re going to be alright.”
The next few weeks could cap off a historic run for one of the most successful senior classes in recent memory. The Bombers aren’t just chasing another championship – they’re trying to make history.
“We haven’t lost in a playoff game yet,” Laubscher said. “It doesn’t feel like we can’t [four-peat] because nobody has shown us we can’t.”
