NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College baseball team picked up a doubleheader split with Saint Peter's in MAAC action at Salesian Field. The Gaels blanked the Peacocks 7-0 in the opener before falling 6-2 in the nightcap.
Sophomore LHP Brian Callahan cruised in his first collegiate complete game shut out. He scattered five hits and struck out six batters in his nine innings of work while throwing just 103 pitches. Callahan worked out of his only real jam in the top of the seventh inning. With first and third and one out he induced Peacock 3B Andrew Martirano into a popping out to right field. Rookie RF Matthew Simone gunned down his SPC counterpart RF Garrett Duross at the plate for the 9-2 double play to end the inning.
The Gaels got all the runs they needed in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two out and one on, rookie 2B Chris Burke smashed his third home run of the season deep over the left field fence. Simone reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning and scored on the play.
Junior 3B Nick Rossetti provided the big blast in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman DH Dean Dignelli was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Junior CF Chris Leahy executed a perfect hit and run play and hit the ball up the middle to advance Dignelli to third. Rookie SS Eric Capowski was also knicked by a pitch to load the bases. Saint Peter's starter Craig Hughes was relieved by Pedro Adorno to face Rossetti. On the ninth pitch of the at bat an a full count, Rossetti drove a ball over the left field fence for his first colllegiate grand slam home run. It was his fourth long ball of the season.
Capowski rounded out the Gaels scoring in the eighth inning with an RBI fielder's choice with one out.
Burke was 3-for-4 in the game with two runs scored and two RBI. Dignelli and Capowski each had two hits in the victory.
In game two, Saint Peter's RHP Ethan Jackson kept the Gaels' hot bats at bay. The Peacocks scored all six runs in the second, third and fourth innings. The Maroon & Gold finally got to Jackson the seventh inning, pushing across two runs. With one out, sophomore 1B Chris Griffin singled on a line drive to left center field. Senior C Andrew Wernicki followed with a gapper that landed between the outfielders for an RBI double. He advanced to third when the centerfielder's throw to home got by his teammate at home. Leahy drove in Wernicki one batter later on an RBI ground out.
Rookie RF Colin Lyall had two hits including his third double of the year. Wernicki was also 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in the loss.
The two teams complete the three-game MAAC series tomorrow at Salesian Field beginning at noon.
