New Rochelle, NY- The Iona College Softball team took the field against Niagara for a double-header on a perfect Saturday afternoon.  In the bottom of the sixth in a scoreless game, Kayla O'Neill parked her second career homerun to give Iona the 3-0 victory.  Niagara's Michelle Krier was dominant in a 7-1 Purple Eagle win.

The Gaels (9-18, 1-5 MAAC) and Purple Eagles (17-14, 2-4 MAAC) each got stellar starting pitching in game one.  For Iona, Sarah Jackson tossed a complete game as she allowed just five hits, three walks, and 10 strikeouts.  Julie DiMatteo also went the distance with five hits and six strikeouts. 

Niagara had two chances to put some runs on the scoreboard in the fifth and sixth innings.  In the fifth, the Purple Eagles used a pair of singles and a stolen base to put runners on second and third with two outs.  Jackson, though used one of her two strikeouts in the inning to strand the pair with the score still tied at 0.  In the sixth, Jackson found herself in a little trouble as after a Kayla Hines one-out double, Jackson put on the next two batters to load the bases.  Jackson didn't panic as she rung up the next two batters on strikeouts and there was still no score.

The Gaels, though, changed that in the home half of the sixth.  Melanie Hay led-off with a single to left and two batters later, Erin Kyle blooped one just over the head of the third baseman into left field.  Kayla O'Neill stepped to the plate and on a 0-1 pitch blasted her second career homerun and the game-winner as Iona went up 3-0 and held on for the win.  O'Neill first-career shot was a grand slam.  She currently leads the team with 14 RBIs.

Game two saw the bats come alive for Niagara as they put up five runs on six hits over the first three innings.  In the third, the Purple Eagles put up four runs on five hits including two RBI producing doubles as they took a 5-0 lead.  Niagara added two more on bizarre plays in the sixth.  Maggie McDonald flied out right field and with the sun in her eyes, Hay had trouble making a play on the ball.  McDonald was on her way to third with what looked like a three-base error, but was awarded home on base path interference.  The next batter, Kristin Kill drove one deep to left and ended up with an inside the park homerun to make it 7-0.  Iona's lone tally came on the game's final at-bat.  Pinch hitter Kassondra Silva drew a two-out walk and Hay plated her as she drilled one to right that couldn't be handled by the right-fielder.  Hay, though was caught in a rundown rounding second to end the game with Niagara on top 7-1.

Michelle Krier got the win for Niagara as she tossed a complete game three-hitter with no earned runs, three walks and five strikeouts.  Jackson took the loss as she started the game throwing just two innings with two runs, both earned, on three hits with a walk and strikeout.

Iona returns to the field tomorrow to take on Canisius at 11am on Rice Oval.