Kissimmee, FL - Pitching played a big role in Iona's final two games at the Rebel
Spring Games on Friday. In the opener against Brown, Sarah Jackson
struck nine and an illegal pitch pushed across the game's only run for
a Gaels' win. Colgate got a complete game, five strikeout day from
their starter as Iona fell 7-1.
The Gaels (6-10) and Bears (3-4) were locked in a pitcher's duel as neither team could crack the scoreboard through the first six innings. Brown starter Jessica Iwasaki surrendered six hits and struck out four through the first six innings. Jackson countered as she allowed just three hits and added nine strikeouts in complete game effort.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Chelsea Sheehan, who finished 3-for-3 with two singles, picked up her third hit on the afternoon as she placed a one-out double down the left-field line. She moved to third on a wild pitch. Rachelle Harris, who also had a strong day at the plate going 2-for-3, drew a big two-out walk to put runners on the corners. Brown made a pitching change and with Jaclyn Quinn at the plate facing a 1-2 count, Emily Chaddock made an illegal pitch as she presented the ball twice. This results in an automatic ball to the batter and advances the runners. For Iona, this pushed across Sheehan and gave Iona the 1-0 victory.
Against the Raiders (10-7), Iona had no answer for Jesse McCarrick and the Colgate offense. After Colgate plated the game's first run in the bottom of the first on a solo home run, the Gaels used small ball and some help from the Colgate defense to plate the game-tying tally. Melanie Getttins led-off with a single and a successful sacrifice bunt by Courtney Christie pushed her to second and Christie reached on an error to put two on with no outs. Kassondra Silva stepped to the plate and reached on an error, which allowed Gettins make the turn and score to make it 1-1.
Colgate came back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning on two RBI singles and a sacfrice fly to take back the lead, 4-1. The Raiders added two more in the fourth and one in the sixth for the 7-1 win. McCarrick pitched a complete game with five strikeouts, seven hits and no earned runs. Harris was strong at the bat going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and swiped a bag. The teams combined for five errors on the afternoon.
Iona returns to the Northeast and the field on Thursday, March 26 when they head to Allentown, PA and legendary Patriots Park to take on Saint Joseph's. Game time is set for 6:00 pm.
