MORGARA, CA -  The Iona College softball team played its third doubleheader in three days by visiting Saint Mary's Wednesday afternoon. In game one, the Gaels fell to Saint Mary's by the score of 5-2. In game two, the Gaels kept it close, but fell once again by the score of 5-4.

In the opener, the Gaels opened the scoring in the second inning. Sophomore 1B Allyssa James opened the inning with a single and was quickly driven home by a run scoring double off the bat of junior C Melanie Gettins. After a single put Gettins at third, an error by the St. Mary's catcher allowed Gettins to come home and the Gaels were ahead 2-0.

Saint Mary's held Iona to one hit the rest of the game as a four run fifth inning put the game out of the Gaels' reach. Junior P Alyssa Maiese took the loss for Iona, dropping to 2-5 on the year. Maiese allowed nine runs, three earned, in 5.1 innings of work.

In the second contest, Saint Mary's jumped out to a 2-0 lead after scoring runs in the first and second innings. The Gaels were able to crack the scoreboard in the third when a Saint Mary's error allowed junior 2B Tessa Earley to reach. With Earley on third, freshman DH Eileen McCann drove her in with a sacrifice fly. McCann kept the Gaels going offensively in the fifth when she cracked a three run home run to left field, scoring Newman and freshman CF Jodi Petersen.

With Iona now up 4-2, Saint Mary's answered in their home fifth when they scored two runs to knot the game at four. In the home seventh, with two on and two out, Saint Mary's senior Jenna Smith hit a walk off run scoring single to give the Gaels the 5-4 victory.

Iona returns to the field Friday to take part in the Capital Classic hosted by Sacramento State. The Gaels open with a 12:00 pm matchup with Utah State.