NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College softball team opened up with its home slate this season, hosting Harvard Sunday afternoon at Rice Oval . In game one, a grand slam in the seventh by Harvard pushed the Crimson to a 4-1 win.  The Gaels came back with their second biggest offensive output of the season for a 8-3 win.

The contest went scoreless for the first six frames until Harvard broke through in the seventh.  A two out error by Iona put Allie Scott on first. RF Shelbi Olson and SS Jane Alexander each reached on singles that stayed in the infield before pinch hitter Mariel Sena then struck for a grand slam over the left field line to put Harvard ahead 4-0.

In the bottom of the seventh, Iona got one run across when junior SS Deanne Algeo hit her first career home run.

The game featured a pitchers' duel between Iona's Sarah Jackson and Harvard's Rachel Brown as the two combined for 24 strikeouts and allowed just nine hits. Brown took the win, moving to 9-4 on the year.  Jackson took the loss and fell to 5-3, as she allowing four runs and five hits while striking out nine.

In game two, Harvard opened with a run in the second off Iona starter Alyssa Maiese.  Ellen Macadam was hit by a pitch and with one out, scored on a fielder's choice from third base.

The Gaels would take the lead in the third with a three run inning. Maiese led off with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch.  Sophomore C Courtney Duncan walked and freshman RF Katie Jansson followed with a single to load the bases.  With junior 1B Allyssa James at the plate, another wild pitch allowed Maiese to score before James drove in Duncan with a single up the middle.  With two out, sophomore CF Jodi Petersen singled to left to drive in Jansson with the third run of the inning.

Harvard tied it up in the third when a bunt by Macadam to move over LF Jackie Cooley at first turned into a two base error allowing Cooley to score from first. 3B Kasey Lange drove in Macadam with an RBI ground out to even the contest at three.

Iona put up another three spot in the fourth. Sophomore LF Eileen McCann walked and was moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jansson. McCann moved to third on a wild pitch before junior 3B Chelsea Sheehan walked. Petersen had another run scoring hit, driving in McCann and Sheehan with a double to right center.

James had another run scoring hit, this time in the fifth. Maiese singled to center and was pinch run for by senior Tierney Markou. Duncan moved Markou to third with a bunt and McCann followed with a walk. James stepped in and singled to right to drive in Markou and put Iona ahead 7-3. The Gaels would finish their scoring in the eighth. Petersen led off with a walk and was moved over to second on a bunt by Algeo. A ground out moved Petersen to third and Maiese drove her in with a double to left center.

Maiese went the distance for the Gaels, allowing four hits and one earned run to pick up her second win of the season. Maiese walked just one batter and struck out nine, just one off her career high set this season against Mount St. Mary's on March 5.  Jackie Moore went 3.2 innings, allowing six earned runs and falling to 0-3.