PISCATAWAY, NJ - PISCATAWAY, NJ - The Iona College softball team dropped a pair of contests to Rutgers Thursday afternoon in a non-conference doubleheader. In game one, the Scarlet Knights scored in four of five innings and defeated the Gaels 8-0. In game two, a seven run fourth inning propelled Rutgers to a 11-3 victory.
In the opener, the Gaels found themselves in an early hole when Rutgers scored two runs in the bottom of the first on a double by Kaci Madden.
The Gaels picked up their first two hits in the top of the third, also their best scoring chance of the game. One out singles by senior LF
Erin Kyle and senior 2B
Tessa Earley put two on before junior SS
Deanne Algeo reached on an error. With the bases loaded, the Gaels were unable to put anything across after Rutgers turned a 2-5-2 double play to end the inning.
Rutgers took the momentum of halting the Gaels to the plate, scoring three times in the bottom of the third. Madden drove in Mikelyn Messina with a single and Lindsey Curran would later double in a run for the Scarlet Knights, pushing their lead to 5-0.
The Scarlet Knights added two more runs in the fourth on RBI hits from Brittney Lindley and Messina. Another run in the fifth put the game out of reach for the Gaels.
Junior
Sarah Jackson took the loss for the Gaels, allowing five runs, four earned, in three innings of work. Her record is now 5-5. Noelle Sisco picked up the win for Rutgers, going five innings and allowing just three hits.
In game two, Rutgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first after Messina singled in Mandy Craig and Mickenzie Alden drew a bases loaded walk. Lindley drove in another run in the second on a sacrifice fly.
Iona cracked the scoreboard for the first time all day in the third. With one out, sophomore RF
Eileen McCann reached on an error. After moving to second on a wild pitch, sophomore CF
Jodi Petersen singled to move McCann and put two runners on. A ground out by senior DP
Alyssa Maiese would push across McCann with the Iona run.
Rutgers broke out in the fourth, scoring seven runs on six hits. Sophomore Jen Harabedian hit her first career home run in the fourth to start the rally. After a Loren Williams double to right center, Craig singled up the middle to score the freshman. With the bases loaded, Alden hit a frozen rope for a double to bring in two runs.
In the fifth, Iona put to across. McCann singled with one out before Petersen homered to center field. In the bottom of the fifth, Alden ended the game with a RBI single through the right side, scoring Lindley.
Algeo took the loss for the Gaels, falling to 1-3 on the year. The righty allowed nine earned runs in four innings of work. Megan Williams got the win for Rutgers, allowing eight hits and two earned runs in five innings.
The Gaels resume conference play Sunday, when they travel to Marist for a MAAC doubleheader. Game one begins at 12:00 pm.
