Kissimmee, FL - The Iona College softball team embarked on its longest trip of the season to Kissimmee, Florida for the 2008 Rebel Spring Games. The Gaels drew Yale in the first game on Saturday and fell 2-1 on a two-out two-run double in the bottom of the seventh. Colgate also used the seventh inning to down Iona as it scored four runs in a 7-6 comeback win.

Iona took the field against the Bulldogs (8-4) and went up early as back-to-back hits by Melanie Gettins and Jessica Horvath and a Lolli Mills walk loaded the bases. RHP Becky Riccitelli grounded out to first, but picked up the RBI scoring Gettins to make it 1-0 Gaels. The Maroon and Gold controlled the game and blanked Yale for the first six innings thanks to Riccitelli giving up just two hits with four strikeouts and stranding six baserunners.

The Bulldogs, though turned a Gaels' error into runs. After Riccitelli got the first out in the bottom of the seventh, Megan Enyeart reached on a two-base error followed by a Courtney Blachford walk and an Ashley Sloan infield single loaded the bases. Riccitelli got Katie Yanagisawa to pop-out and need just one more out, but Aracelis Torres placed one down the right-field line scoring two to stun the Gaels 2-1.

Hoping to bounce back in their second game, the Maroon and Gold faced Colgate. Both teams couldn't crack the scoreboard until the top of third inning when the Raiders (2-2) plated a pair and took a 2-0 lead. The Gaels responded in the bottom half of the inning with five hits plating two runs including back-to-back-to-back-back hits by Jessica Horvath, Lolli Mills, Becky Riccitelli and Courtney Christie to tie the game at 2.

Colgate edged back in front with a run in the top of the fourth inning, but Iona broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning. After a Mills' single, Riccitelli attempted to sacrifice Mills and as a result reached on a fielding error. Christie also tried to lay down a sacrifice and the defense again couldn't handle it which pushed Riccitelli to third and plated Mills. Amanda Glaser picked up the second hit of the inning with an RBI single to center and after pinch-hitter Lauren Hackimer sacrificed over the runners, Christie came home on wild pitch. Erin Kyle flied out to right field, but it was deep enough to plate Glaser and the Gaels took a commanding 6-3 lead, with all of the runs in the inning unearned.

The Raiders came to the plate in the top of the seventh inning and plated four runs on five hits to take a 7-6 lead with Jessica Sabo's RBI single to left proving to be the game-winner. The Gaels came up in the bottom of the inning to try and tie or win the game, but Raiders' starter Jesse McCarrick surrendered just one hit to help Colgate stun Iona, 7-6.

The Iona College softball team will face Cornell and Rhode Island tomorrow, March 17, at 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.