LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - The Iona College baseball team suffered a gut wrenching 10-8 defeat to Rider in MAAC action at Sunny Pittaro Field. The Broncs hit a walk-off three-run home run in the ninth inning to earn the victory.
The Gaels jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Rookie CF Dean Dignelli singled to drive in sophomore 1B Chris Griffin.
Rider scored four in the second inning and one in the third to take a 5-1 advantage.
The Maroon & Gold got two back in the top of the fourth when rookie 2B Chris Burke smashed a home run over the left center field fence. Burke also drove in junior LF Andrew Passerelle with the blast. The Broncs added a run in the bottom of the frame to take a 6-3 lead.
Iona's big inning came in the top of the fifth inning. Back-to-back singles by senior C Andrew Wernicki and junior 3B Nick Rossetti put runners on to start the frame. After a sacrifice bunt and a strike out, Griffin drove in three runs with his first home run of the 2009 season. The Gaels weren't done there. With two out, Burke doubled down the left field line. Dignelli drove in the go ahead runs with his team leading fourth home run of the season.
Nursing the two run, 8-6, lead, Iona held the Rider bats in check for the next three innings. The Broncs tallied a run in the eighth to cut the deficit to a single run.
The Gaels threatened for insurance runs in the ninth inning with two runners on. Two straight strikeouts by Rider reliever Kris Brown ended the rally.
In the ninth inning, Rider put the first two runners on. Bronc 3B Mason Heyne hit a crushing three run home run to end the game with the 10-8 win.
Rosetti, Griffin, Burke and Dignelli each posted two hits in the game. Griffin and Dignelli scored two runs a piece and drove in three. Burke's home run accounted for the other two runs batted in.
Junior RHP Dylan McCullough came on in relief in the second inning and pitched four innings, allowed two runs on six hits and recorded a strike out. Sophomore RHP Matthew Casino finished the sixth, seventh and eighth. Burke took the loss in the ninth.
The two teams complete the three-game series tomorrow morning with a doubleheader slated to begin at 11:00 am.
