New Rochelle, NY- Niagara scored five of its seven runs with two outs in an inning in defeating the Iona College baseball team 7-4 at Salesian Field. Despite the loss the Gaels took the three-game Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series.
The Gaels pushed across the game's first run in the first inning on an RBI single by sophomore LF
Andrew Passerelle. Niagara tied it in the bottom of the inning when RF Jonathan Smith singled up the middle.
The Maroon & Gold took the lead in the fourth inning with a two-out single to right field by freshman 3B
Michael Sevilla. The rookie infielder went opposite field to plate classmate 1B
Chris Griffin.
Junior SS
Joe Lorenzo gave Iona a 2-1 cushion in the fifth, driving in senior DH
Allie Abbatiello with a sacrifice fly. Abbatiello got on with a one out triple to deep center field.
After retiring the first two batters in the top of the sixth, things got interesting for Iona senior LHP
Kevin Carmody. An infield single, followed by a single up the middle put runners on first and second. A third straight hit by 1B Chris Leendertse made the score 3-2. PH Graham Skelhorne-Gross then doubled in two runs to give Niagara the lead for good. In the seventh, Niagara scored two more times to take a 6-3 lead while taking advantage of three Iona errors in the inning. Senior RHP
Nick Stanziani relieved Carmody to record the frame's final two outs.
The Gaels got a run back in their half of the seventh inning when Passerelle picked up his second RBI of the game with a base hit to left field while chasing Niagara starter Marcus Spaulding.
Niagara LF Tim Alberts rounded out the scoring with a solo home run in the top of the ninth.
Abbatiello, Passerelle, Griffin and sophomore RF
Dylan McCullough each had two hits in the loss. Sophomore 2B
Mike Walraven reached base three out of five times with a hit and two walks. Abbatiello drew a walk and scored three runs.
Carmody tossed 6.1 innings allowing eight hits and four earned runs while striking out five. Stanziana pitched 2.2 innings of relief with three hits and two punch outs.
The Gaels are back in action on Tuesday afternoon for a non-conference matchup at St. John's.
