POUGHKEEPSIE, NY - The Iona College baseball team opened up its 2009 MAAC slate with two losses to Marist at the McCann Baseball Field.  The Gaels dropped the opener 7-1 before a tough, 6-5 loss in eight innings in the seven-inning middle game.

Rookies 2B Chris Burke and CF Dean Dignelli each picked up two hits in the game one loss.  The Gaels got on the board in the first inning when sophomore 1B Chris Griffin drove home rookie SS Eric Capowski with a single.

Sophomore RHP Mike Brizzolara took the loss, allowing four runs in 5.1 innings of work.

Iona trailed 4-0 after two innings but chipped away with three runs in the top of the third.  Griffin drove in two runs with a single to right center field.  He drove in Capowski and junior 3B Nick Rossetti.  Burke drove in junior LF Andrew Passerelle for the inning's third run.

The Gaels took a lead two innings later. Dignelli's two-run triple accounted for the Gaels two runs.

The Red Foxes tied the score at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning.

In the eighth, two one-out walks were followed by the game winning single by CF Michael Gallic.

Rossetti, and Dignelli each had two hits in the loss.

Junior RHP Dylan McCullough took the loss.  Sophomore LHP Brian Callahan tossed 5.2 innings in relief and allowed one run while scattering four hits.

The two teams complete the three-game series tomorrow at noon.