JAMAICA, NY- The Iona College baseball team dropped a double header to No. 21 St. John's in non-conference action at Jack Kaiser Stadium. The Red Storm edged the Gaels 4-2 in the opener before taking the nightcap 15-2.

The Maroon & Gold rode the sharp pitching of senior RHP Shawn Walsh through the first four and a half innings of the opener, taking a 2-0 lead with a run in the fourth and fifth frames. Rookie 1B/C Chris Griffin singled to center field to plate the game's first run with an RBI single. An opposite field single by junior C/1B Andrew Wernicki in the fifth scored junior SS Joe Lorenzo for the second time to give Iona the two run lead.

The Gaels ran into trouble in the decisive fifth inning. PH Tom La Stella delivered the big blow with a bases clearing three run double with no out. Rookie RHP Matthew Casino relieved Walsh with one out and retired both batters he faced to end the rally.

Walsh took the hard luck loss to the No. 21 Red Storm tossing 4.1 innings allowing all four runs. Prior to the fifth he allowed just two base runners. Casino walked the first batter he faced in the sixth inning but did not allow a hit in his 1.2 innings of relief.

Junior LF Andrew Passerelle was 2-for-3 with a walk in the loss.

In the night cap, the Red Storm scored twice in the first inning and never looked back in the 15-2 win. Starter RHP Sean Darsee was forced to leave due to injury after just two batters. Four Gael relievers combined in the decision.

A bases loaded walk to Passerelle in the fifth and sophomore RF Chris Leahy's RBI groundout in the sixth accounted for the Gaels' two runs.

Sophomore 3B/SS Mike Walraven had two hits in four at bats including a triple to lead off the game while scoring a run for the Maroon & Gold.

The Gaels return to MAAC action this weekend for a three-game series with Siena.