LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - The Iona College baseball team earned a doubleheader split with defending MAAC Champion Rider at Sonny Pittaro Field. After dropping the opener 10-1, the Gaels (8-15, 1-4 MAAC) snapped a five-game losing skid with a 7-2 victory in the nightcap.
The Broncs (14-10, 4-1 MAAC) jumped on the board with seven runs before Iona got on the board. The squad scored its lone run on a sacrifice fly by junior DH
James Beck in the top of the sixth inning.
Rider's pitching limited the Gaels to just six hits. Rookie LF
Joe Torres, senior 2B
Nick Rossetti and junior 1B
Michael Chiaravalloti each got on base twice. Rossetti and Torres were 1-for-3 with a walk while Chiaravalloti drew two free passes. Rookie LHP
Eddie Macaluso (2-3) took the loss.
A four-run second inning sparked Iona in game two. A one-out solo homerun by Beck started the rally. Two walks and a base hit loaded the bases for freshman RF
Joe Smith who delivered a three-run double to put the visitors ahead 4-0.
After Rider got a run back in the bottom of the third, the Gaels scored two more to take a 6-1 advantage. Smith picked up a fourth RBI on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. Senior C
Chris Griffin scored on an error to account for the second run.
Rider got a single run in the fifth to cut its deficit to four runs. The Gaels got it back in the top of the seventh inning. Junior 3B
Chris Burke's one-out RBI single scored Torres from second base to round out the scoring.
Senior LHP
Justin Wiley (3-2) earned the win allowing a five hits and just one earned run in the seven-inning complete-game victory. He struck out seven batters in his team-leading third win of the year.
Sophomore SS
Matthew Kriss was the lone Gael with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Smith's four RBI marked a season-high for the rookie. Chiaravalloti scored twice while Beck's home run was his fourth of the season.
The Gaels and Broncs complete the rubber game of the three-game series tomorrow with a nine-inning tilt at noon. Iona sophomore RHP
Thomas Kriss (0-1) faces off against Rider junior LHP Patrick Devlin.
Game 1 R H E
Iona College........ 000 001 000 - 1 6 2
Rider............... 003 312 10X - 10 17 0
Game 2 R H E
Iona College........ 040 200 1 - 7 7 4
Rider............... 001 010 0 - 2 5 3
