LONGWOOD, VA - The Iona College softball team split a pair of contests Saturday on its first day of play at the Longwood Spring Classic.  In game one, Iona scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to top Oakland 4-3 before falling 2-0 to Quinnipiac in game two.

The Gaels opened up the scoring in the third.  With two out, junior CF Jodi Petersen doubled to left center before senior 2B Chelsea Sheehan drove her in with a single to center field.

In the fourth inning, Iona struck for three runs.  With one out, senior SS Deanne Algeo and freshman 1B Carly Argyle reached on back-to-back walks.  Algeo would then come around to score on a double to center field by sophomore C Katie Jansson.  A wild pitch scored Argyle and moved Jansson up a base before junior LF Beth Kann drove in Jansson with a single to right field for the third run of the inning.

Oakland cracked the scoreboard in the sixth when pinch runner Nikolaus scored on a double to center field by Cleveland, cutting the Iona lead to 4-1.

In the top of the seventh, the Golden Grizzlies tied the game when Jackie Kisman scored on a groundball to second base by Galloway and Cleveland drove in two runs on her second double of the game to make the score 4-4.

Iona would come back right away and pick up the win in the seventh inning.  Sheehan led off the inning with a triple to right field.  After junior RF Eileen McCann was hit by a pitch and senior P Alyssa Maiese reached on a fielder's choice, Algeo drove in Sheehan with a single up the middle.

Argyle picked up the first win of her career after retiring the final batter in the top of the seventh to move to 1-0 on the season. Bailee Braunreuther took the loss after throwing two innings in relief, giving up one earned run.

In the second game of the day, the Gaels and Bobcats were locked up in a pitchers' duel as Iona's senior RHP Sarah Jackson and Quinnipiac senior hurler Heather Schwartzburg traded zeros on the scoreboard.

The Bobcats finally cracked the scoreboard in the bottom of the seventh inning.  With one out, Nikki Barba reached on an Iona error.  Kortney Kesses would drive in the first run of the game with a two out double to left center.  Brdiget Figmic would then follow with a single to first to score Kesses.

Schwartzburg picked up her first win of the season, allowing just three hits and striking out ten.  Jackson took the tough luck loss, allowing the two runs, both unearned, while striking out six.

Iona completes play in Longwood Sunday with a pair of contests.  The Gaels get a rematch with Quinnipiac at 9:15 am before taking on host Longwood at 1:45 pm.