New Rochelle, NY - With a couple of dramatic plays in game two of its doubleheader on
Wednesday, the Iona College Softball team earned a split with
Fairfield, the first-place team in the MAAC. The Gaels fell shot in
the opener 5-2, but a 3-for-4 3 RBI performance by Melanie Gettins fueled a
9-1 win for the split.
The Stags (20-24, 10-4 MAAC) jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first. With two on and two out, Allison Wingand grounded one back to the Gael's starting hurler Sarah Jackson that plated a run and an errant throw to first brought home the second to make it 2-0 Fairfield. The Gaels cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning as after two walks, Allyssa James singled to left-center to plate Erin Kyle and it was 2-1.
Jackson settled down with a 1-2-3 second inning and after she surrendered a lead-off walk in the third, she set down the next three batters in order with three strikeouts. The Stags extended their advantage in the top of the fourth as with a pair of runners in scoring position, Kayla O'Neill's throw to first while fielding a Jessica Stand ground ball was just wide and both runners came home. After Stand stole third, Kristie Trifiolis tripled to right-center to plate her and it was 5-1 Fairfield.
The Maroon & Gold looked to rally late as Chelsea Sheehan and Melanie Hay each had hard infield singles. Rachelle Harris doubled down the left-field line to plate Sheehan and push Hay to third, but Fairfield starter Sarah Minice finished off her complete game as she got Erin Kyle to fly out to left and preserve the 5-2 win. Minice went seven with six hits, two earned, two walks and seven strikeouts. Jackson took another tough loss with 4.1 innings worked, six hits, five runs, just one earned, two walks and six strikeouts. Deanne Algeo pitched 2.2 innings in relief of no-hit ball with one strikeout.
Jackson was back in the circle for game two and got some help early with some baseruning mistakes. The lead-off hitter walked, but was out for leaving first too early. A single, a passed ball, and fielder's choice put Stags on the corners. As the runner from first broke to second, Gettins used a snap throw to pick-off the runner straying just off the bag at third. Jackson closed out the inning with a strikeout. Gettins helped out her pitcher at the plate as after Kyle reached on a fielder's choice and stole second, Gettins drove her in with a seeing-eye single up the middle. After a three strikeout second inning for Jackson, the Gaels added another run to the lead. Jaclyn Quinn reached on a single and a successful sacrifice by Courtney Christie moved her to second. A ground out pushed Quinn to third and scored on a Hay RBI single to make it 2-0.
The score held as Jackson retired the nine of the next ten Fairfield batters she faced with just one hit allowed and got some help from her defense. Christie gave up her body as she barreled through the temporary outfield fence in left-field to snag a long-fly ball off the bat of Stags' starting pitcher Meghan Borst in the top of the fourth to preserve the shoutout.
Borst tossed 4.2 innings for the Stags and was driven from the game as the Gaels' bats exploded in the fifth. With Gettins and O'Neill on first and second, James picked up an RBI with single up the middle to plate O'Neill. After a Quinn walk to load the bases, Sheehan drilled a triple to right-center and the throw in was offline, which allowed her to come home on her 3 RBI triple and it was 7-0 Gaels.
Fairfield plated its lone run in the sixth using three singles including a RBI single to left off the bat of Kayla Marth. Iona though, clinched the split in the bottom of the sixth. Harris dropped a single into left and O'Neill followed to batters later with a single to center. Gettins picked up the Gaels' second triple of the game as the ball stayed just in front of the knocked down right-centerfield fence as Harris and O'Neill crossed to give Iona the 9-1 win in six.
Borst was charged with 11 hits, six runs, all earned, and walk in the loss. Jackson pitched her second complete game of the day as she surrendered just one earned on five hits, a walk and added eight strikeouts.
The Gaels close out the 2009 regular season on the road Sunday with a MAAC doubleheader against Saint Peter's. First pitch in Jersey City is set for 1:00 pm.
