The Blue and Gold entered its two final regular season games against Utica Tuesday knowing that one loss would eliminate it from postseason competition.

The Bombers didn’t disappoint, sweeping both games of a doubleheader, 10-1, 10-2, and finishing the regular season at 28-12 and 10-2 in the Empire Eight.

In the opener, sophomore Abby Hanrahan allowed just three hits while striking out eight. Senior first baseman Laura Remia and junior catcher Kristin Furdon both homered for the Bombers and combined for five RBIs. Sophomore Liz Yentema added three hits.

Remia said it was important to make a statement for the playoff committee.

“These two games were huge,” she said. “We knew we had to win both of these games to even have a chance of getting into the playoffs.”

Remia also hit two doubles in Game 1, breaking the Ithaca record for most doubles in a season with 17. In Game 2, Remia was 1-for-2 with a home run and her 55th RBI, tying her for first with Jeanine Bleau ’94 for most RBIs in a season.

“I didn’t even know about that,” said Remia, who already holds the Ithaca record for career RBIs with 179. “That’s great.”

Furdon also homered in the second game, giving the 2000 first-team All-American four home runs for the season along with 39 RBIs. Yentema contributed two hits, while sophomore Rachel Meth allowed just six hits and two runs, striking out six. She improved to 6-3 with the win.

Furdon said that since she has been struggling at the plate lately, it was nice to contribute significantly in an important doubleheader.

“None of us really knew what Utica was like,” she said. “We didn’t have a scouting report on them, but we knew all of us had to come together and play as a team for us to win.”

The Bombers find out if they make the playoffs on Sunday when the NCAA committee meets to decide tournament participants and seedings. An Empire Eight loss to St. John Fisher last Sunday cost the Bombers a first place finish in the league and an automatic bid in the playoffs. Now they can only hope for an at-large bid.

“We’re in a real tough spot,” said Coach Deb Pallozzi. “Getting into the playoffs depends on if the right teams win all the conference tournaments.”

She also said that RIT must win the New York State Championship, a tournament that the Bombers withdrew from. If St. John Fisher were to win, then a postseason berth for the Blue and Gold would be virtually eliminated.

Last year, the Bombers advanced to the Division III College World Series before losing to eventual national champion St. Mary’s (Minn.) and runner-up Wisconsin-Eau Claire.