New Rochelle, NY - The Iona College Softball team returned to conference action with a
doubleheader on Saturday against Manhattan at Rice Oval. Trailing by a
run, the Jaspers got a grand slam in the bottom of the 7th to take a
8-5 win. Eight runs in the sixth secured the win in game two as
Manhattan took it 10-2.
Sarah Jackson got the start for the Gaels (11-23, 2-8 MAAC) and was in control early with five strikeouts to just one hit in her first two innings. The Jaspers (17-23, 9-3 MAAC) got on the scoreboard in the top of the 2nd as starting pitcher Ashley Rampino helped her own cause with a 2-RBI single up the middle. The Maroon & Gold responded in the home half of the inning as Chelsea Sheehan reached on a bunt single back the pitcher and Melanie Hay moved up her on a successful sacrifice bunt. After a ground out moved her third, Erin Kyle dropped an RBI single into left field to make it 2-1. Kayla O'Neill made it back-to-back hits with a single of her own and Melanie Gettins complete the string of hits as her RBI single to left was deep enough to score Kyle and tie the game.
Jackson and Rampino each worked 1-2-3 fourth innings before Manhattan went back on top. Jackson recorded her eigth strikeout to start the top of the fifth, but the Jaspers used two fielding errors on a Kristina Walraven single with a runner aboard to take a 3-2 lead. The lead grew to two runs as Walraven, who moved to third on the errors, came home on a passed ball.
The Gaels responded two innings later as Allyssa James and Courtney Christie put together two straight singles. Jackson helped her own cause as she laid down a sacrifice bunt back to Rampino, who threw it wide of third and allowed James to score and moved Christie to third. Pinch-hitter Kassondra Silva lifter one deep enough into left for the sacrifice fly RBI and it was all square at 4 and pinch-runner Laura Hackimer, in place of Jackson, moved up to third. Hackimer scored on a Hay RBI ground out to short and Iona took its first lead 5-4.
Manhattan again took advantage of fielding miscues as back-to-back errors on the third baseman put two on with no outs in the top of the 7th and a single loaded the bases. Rampino, who came out of the game in favor of a relief pitcher an inning earlier, reentered as a pinch-hitter and walloped a 2-1 pitch to left-center for a grand-slam and it was 8-5 Jaspers. Rampino closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh as she got the save, her second of the year. Erika Sullivan got the victory with an inning of work, three runs, none earned, on two hits, a walk and four strikeouts. Jackson pitched a complete game and allowed eight runs, just two earned, on eight hits, a walk and 10 strikeouts. Kyle went 4-for-4 with four singles, an RBI and a run scored.
In game two, Iona grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second as James ripped a solo shot to left-center for her third of the season. Manhattan came back with a pair in the top of the third as Rampino, the designated player, singled home Kristina Walraven and was plated on an RBI bases-loaded walk. The score held until the bottom of the fifth as Christie saw her deep fly ball skip the fence in left for a ground-rule double. Sheehan put down a great sacrifice bunt to move Christie to third and an RBI double to right by Hay pushed Christie across to tie the score.
The Jaspers broke the game open in the next half with eight runs on seven hits and three errors crossing the plate. The biggest blow was a two-run homerun off the bat of starting pitcher Melissa Donnelly as Manhattan took the win 10-2 in six innings. Donnelly tossed a complete game with two runs, both earned, on five hits, two walks and four strikeouts. Deanne Algeo took the loss for Iona with 13 hits and allowed 10 runs, but just charged with three, four walks and a strikeout. Gettins, Christie and James each went 1-for-3.
Iona travels to Lawrenceville, NJ for a doubleheader against Rider on Sunday, April 26. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
