CLEARWATER, FL - The Iona College softball team split a pair of games on the second day of play at the USF Under Armour Invitational at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.. In game one, the Gaels dominated Providen 8-1 before falling to Dartmouth 2-1.
In the first game versus Providence, the Gaels jumped out to a 5-0 lead. In the first inning, the Gaels struck for one run when junior
Eileen McCann drove in senior
Chelsea Sheehan, who reached on a fielder's choice with one out.
In the second inning, the Gaels pushed across four runs, all with two outs. Sophomore
Katie Jansson led off the inning with a single up the middle. After a sacrifice bunt and fly out pushed Jansson to third, junior
Jodi Petersen drove her in with a single to right field. Petersen stole second and was driven in by senior
Deanne Algeo's single to left center. Sheehan reached on a hit by pitch before senior
Alyssa Maiese drove in Algeo with a single up the middle. McCann would drive in the fourth and final run with a single up the middle.
The Friars cut the lead to 5-1 in the sixth inning on an RBI single by freshman Kristie Dederick. Iona added three runs in the seventh inning to seal the 8-1 win. After Sheehan singled up the middle to start the inning, Maiese reached on an error. After Sheehan and pinch runner
Allison Hand moved up a base on a passed ball, McCann picked up another RBI when she drove in Sheehan with a single up the middle. Hand would then score on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Jansson. Freshman
Brianna Schauer would drive in McCann with the final run of the game with a two-out single to center field.
Senior
Sarah Jackson got the win for the Gaels, allowing just one run and seven hits over seven innings. Jackson also struck out seven in the win.
In game two of the day, Dartmouth got on the board in the third inning. After a strikeout and a ground out to open the inning and give the Big Green two outs, Maiese walked Megan Averitt and Kat Hicks to give the Big Green two base runners. Noelle Ramirez came up with an RBI single in Dartmouth's next at bat to put the Big Green up, 1-0, early.
The Gaels managed to tie things up in the top of the fourth. Maiese opened the inning with a single to shortstop. McCann got on base in the next at bat on an error and the Gaels got on the board with an RBI single from Jansson.
The Big Green wouldn't be down for long. Hillary Baker opened the bottom of fourth inning with a single to right field and after another walk from the Gaels, moved to second base and went home on a single from Meghan Everett, giving the Big Green the 2-1 lead.
Iona wraps up its trip with a 9:00 am game Sunday against North Florida.
