LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - With a 5-2 game one victory the Iona College baseball team picked up its first win of the season over Rider in MAAC action at Sonny Pittaro Field.  The Broncs came back and held off a late charge by the Gaels in a 9-7 victory in the night cap.

Sophomore LHP Brian Callahan turned in his best effort in Maroon & Gold tossing a complete game two hitter.  He walked two and struck out one his only blemishes were a solo run in the first and an unearned run in the third.

After trailing 1-0, the Gaels knotted the score in the top of the third inning.  Junior Nick Rossetti hit a solo shot over the left field fence.   Rider took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning.

In the fourth, Iona went deep again, this time Andrew Wernicki picked up the eventual game winning RBI with a two-run home run.  It was his third home run of the season.

The Gaels added two key insurance runs to round out their scoring in the top of the sixth.   Both runs came on Rider errors.  Rossetti's single was misplayed by the centerfielder allowing rookie RF Colin Lyall to race home from second base.   Rossetti would score one batter later when rookie SS Eric Capowski reached on a throwing error by the Bronc' short stop.

Rossetti and freshman 2B Chris Burke had two hits a piece in the win.  For Burke, it was his team leading ninth multple-hit effort.

In Game 2, Iona scored six runs in the final three innings but were unable to find the equalizer in the ninth.

Junior RF Chris Leahy drove in his squad's run in the second inning to account for the game's first run.

Trailing 7-1, the Gaels got two back in the seventh.  Wernicki sparked the rally with a solo home run to lead off the inning.  Junior LF Andrew Passerelle drove in Leahy with a two-out RBI single.   Leahy picked up his second RBI of the game on a ground out in the eighth.

The Broncs scored two key runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

In the ninth, the Gaels scored three runs and got the tying run to the plate.  Burke and freshman CF Dean Dignelli drove in the first two runs.   Burke would later score on an error.