WEST POINT, NY - Freshman pinch hitter
Beth Kann's bases clearing double keyed a five-run sixth and sophomore right-hander
Sarah Jackson nipped Army's rally in the bottom of the seventh as the Iona College softball team defeated Army 7-3 in the first game of a non-league doubleheader. The Gaels completed the twinbill sweep with a 5-2 win Wednesday afternoon at the Army Softball Complex.
Army jumped on the scoreboard first in the opener in the bottom of the third inning, opening up a 1-0 lead.
Iona scored twice in the top of the fourth, tying the game 1-1 on sophomore 1B Allyssa James one-out home run, then snapped it on pinch hitter Amy Metcalfe's RBI single to pull in front 2-0. The Gaels batted around in the sixth innings as they raked two Army pitchers for five runs on seven hits. Junior LF Erin Kyle led off with a single but was erased on a fielder's choice. Sophomore 3B Chelsea Sheehan followed with a bunt single and sophomore RF Melanie Hay continued the Iona inning with a single. With the bases loaded, Kann was summoned off the Iona bench and delivered with the three RBI double. Junior 2B Tessa Earley reentered the contest for Kann but was erased at third on a fielder's choice. With two Iona base runners on, freshman DH Eileen McCann drove in freshman SS Marissa Newman with a single and James followed with a run scoring single of her own.
Army threatened over the final three innings collecting six of their eight hits off Jackson. The sophomore hurler worked her way out of jams with runners on the corners in both the fifth and sixth innings, ending Army's threat with a strikeout and infield groundout.
The Black Knights broke through in the seventh capitalizing on three hits along with a hit batsman and walk in pushing across a pair of runs.With runners at first and second and the tying run on deck, Jackson retired the batter at the plate on an infield popup. An Army hit followed, the Army base runner was thrown out at the plate to end Army's rally.
In the nightcap, the Gaels scored three runs in the first inning. Earley and McCann reached by walk. With two outs, James delivered a double to right field and advanced to third on the play. Kyle followed with a single and Iona led 3-0.
An Army two-run single up the middle with two outs in the bottom of the second drew the Black Knights closer, as the Gaels led 3-2. The Black Knights loaded the bases on an error and pair of hits in the fourth inning against sophomore starter Deanne Algeo. She gave way to junior Alyssa Maiese who retired the side on a strikeout and grounder back to the circle en route to retiring all 11 batters she faced. The junior right-hander did not issue a walk and struck out three batters and only once allowed the ball out of the infield in recording her third win of the season.
The Gaels sealed the two game sweep with two runs in the fifth inning. Newman led off the inning with a single. With one out, McCann doubled to move pinch runner Cari Anderson to third. With two runners in scoring position, James continued her torid day with a two run double to move the contest to the 5-2 final.
The Gaels are in action Saturday at Manhattan, with the first game beginning at 12:00 pm. The Gaels open home play Sunday when they host Rider at Rice Oval. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:00 pm.
