NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College softball team picked up a pair of non-conference wins in a double header with Drexel Wednesday afternoon at Rice Oval. In game one, the Gaels were able to hold an early lead en route to a 3-2 victory. In game two, the Gaels used a pair of home runs to push to a 7-6 win.
In the home second inning, senior P
Alyssa Maiese laced a triple the opposite way to lead off the inning. With one out and a runner on third, sophomore DP
Marisa Newman singled past the Drexel third baseman into left field as the Gaels took a 1-0 lead.
The Gaels two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, senior C
Melanie Gettins singled to right field. With senior
Tierney Markou on the bases for Gettins, freshman RF
Katie Jansson singled to put two runners on. Junior 1B
Allyssa James doubled to right center to score Markou and Jansson as Iona took a 3-0 lead.
The Dragons capitalized on three Iona errors in the fifth inning to grind out their first run of the game. Katy Harrington reached on an error and went to second on a ground out by Amanda Bachmann. Comfort Ahonkhai followed with a single to left. She promptly stole second and Harrington came in to score on a throwing error by the catcher.
In the seventh, Bachman tripled with one out and Ahonkhai walked. Ahonkhai stole second and Bachman was able to score as the throw went down to second. With one out and Ahonkhai on second, Maiese retired the next two hitters to secure the 3-2 win.
Maiese went the distance for her fourth win of the season, allowing just one earned run on four hits while striking out eight. Hillary Allen took the loss for Drexel allowing three runs on six hits and a pair of walks through six innings.
In game two, Drexel's Rachel Campbell singled to lead off the game against starter
Deanne Algeo. With two out and Campbell on second, Paige Collings drove in the first run of the game with a single up the middle.
The Gaels answered the early run in a big way. With one out, sophomore RF
Eileen McCann singled to left center before classmate CF
Jodi Petersen followed with a single of her own. Maiese, in the DP spot for game two, put the Gaels on the board with a home run to left center, putting Iona ahead 3-1.
Drexel answered with two in the second on a single by Campbell to knot the contest at three. Iona took the lead back in the bottom of the third. Petersen reached on a fielder's choice and Maiese followed with a double and her fourth RBI of the contest. With one out in the fifth, McCann homered down the left field line for her first career home run at Rice Oval and to push the Gaels ahead 5-3.
Iona put two crucial runs ahead in the sixth to move their lead to four. With two out, Newman singled to left and was punch run for by junior
Melanie Hay. Senior
Erin Kyle followed with her third hit of the game, a single to left field. Junior 2B
Chelsea Sheehan singled to the left side to load the bases for Algeo. Algeo picked up the fourth straight Iona hit with a singled to center, scoring Hay and Kyle.
In the seventh inning, Drexel scored runs on a bunt single by Comfort Ahonkhai, and RBI ground out by Campbell and a single by Laura Stagliano. Stagliano represented the tying run on first base with one out. But Jenn Reading flew out and, after Stagliano stole second, Paige Collings struck out to end the game.
Algeo picked up the win, going three innings and allowing three runs on four hits and one walk. Junior
Sarah Jackson worked the final four innings in relief to pick up her first save of the season. Shelby Taylor took the loss after allowing seven earned runs on 11 hits and a walk in seven innings of work while striking out five.
The Gaels are back in action Thursday when they travel to Rutgers for a non-conference doubleheader, with the first game beginning at 3:00 pm.
