HARTFORD, CT - The Iona College softball team traveled Wednesday afternoon to Hartford for a midweek non-conference doubleheader with the Hawks. In game one, Hartford came back from an early deficit with three runs over the final three innings to snatch a 6-4 win from the Gaels. In the second game, the teams combined for 26 hits and 23 runs as the Gaels fell 12-11 in eight
innings.
In the opener, Hartford got on the board in the bottom of the the first on a run scoring single by Kate Wacyk.
Iona would capture the lead in the top of the third; pushing across four runs in the frame. Sophomore Allison Hand delivered an infield single to short that scored senior Jodi Petersen before freshman Sarah Schutz drove home three runs with a home run over the right centerfield wall. It marked the second home run in as many games for the third baseman.
The Hawks would cut the Iona lead to one, 4-3, in the bottom of the inning on a two run single to center field by Jackie Kelly. Hartford would then tie the game in the bottom of the fourth
as the Hawks plated a run on an Iona fielding error.
The Hawks would take the lead in the bottom of the fifth. Sawyer Fried drove in Wacyk with a single to right before Fried score on a single to right by Margaret Betz.
Sophomore Carly Argyle would take the loss for Iona, surrending three runs, two earned, in three innings of relief. Senior starter Beth Kann allowed three runs and struck out four over three
innings.
Zuzana Kudernatschova got the win for Hartford, allowing four runs, all unearned, in seven innings to go along with nine strikeouts.
In game two, Kann drove in sophomore Brianna Schauer with a double to left center to plate the first Iona run in the top of the opening frame.
Hartford would respond with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, with the big blow coming by way of a two-run single by Erica Phelps.
Iona would tie the game in the top of the second inning. Petersen drove in freshman Brianna King and Argyle with a single to left before Schauer singled to center to score Petersen, tying
the game at four.
Iona would take a 5-4 lead in the third inning on an RBI infield single by Petersen. Hartford tied the game at five in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Amber Andrews.
In the fifth inning, Iona would score five runs on five hits and two Hartford errors. King would score the first run when Petersen reached on an error. Schauer would follow with a single to
left field to score Petersen. Two batters later, Schutz would connect on her second home run of the day, scoring Schauer and putting Iona ahead 9-5. Freshman Sydney Dimon would later drive
in a run on a Hartford that scored Hand, who had reached with a two out double to right center.
Hartford would answer by putting five runs of its own on the board in the bottom of the fifth. Chelsey Mooney would drive in a run with a single while Peyton Fisher would reach on an Iona
error that scored two more runs for the home squad.
Petersen led off the top of the sixth with a triple to right center and eventually scored the 11-10 go ahead run when Schauer reached on a Hartford error.
Mooney answered with a double in the bottom of inning that scored Kelly with the tying run, sending the Gaels to extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, with Fisher placed on second to open the inning, the runner moved to third on a wild pitch. Kelly would then plate Fisher with a single to left field to score
the winning run.
Argyle once again took the loss in relief, allowing three runs, one earned, over 2.2 innings of work. Brittany Beebe got the win for Hartford, allowing three hits and one run in 3.1 innings.
Iona is back in action Saturday, when they visit Siena for a MAAC doubleheader beginning at 1:00 pm.
