HAMPTON, VA - The Iona College softball team continued early season non-conference action this weekend at the Lady Pirate Classic. The Gaels were unable to capture any victories over the weekend, beginning with a pair of setbacks on Saturday. In the opener of the day, the Maroon & Gold fell to Central Connecticut State 8-0 before dropping a 9-8 contest to Drexel in eight innings. On Sunday, the Gaels wrapped up the three game trip with a 5-3 loss to the host Pirates.
Over the three games, graduate outfielder Eileen McCann registered a team best five hits, while freshman infielder Kristen Turner drove in a team high four runs.
Against the Blue Devils, Iona was held to one hit over five innings, a third inning double by junior Carly Argyle. Central Connecticut State scored runs in all four at bats, including a four run fourth inning that put the game out of reach.
Laura Messina picked up the win for CCSU, allowing one hit in four innings while Argyle took the loss for Iona, allowing eight runs and nine hits in 3.2 innings of work.
Against the Dragons, the Gaels trailed 4-0 after three innings before crossing the plate twice in the fourth inning. McCann drove in Turner with an RBI single before sophomore Sydney Dimon drove in McCann with a single of her own.
Drexel answered with one in the bottom of the frame to take a three run lead, 5-2. After the teams traded runs in the fifth, the Gaels entered the top of the sixth trailing 6-3. Iona responded with a five run sixth inning. Junior Allison Hand scored on a catchers interference with the bases loaded before Turner delivered a grand slam to put Iona ahead 8-6.
The Dragons knotted the game at eight with two runs in the seventh before plating the game winning run with one out in the eighth.
Against Hampton on Sunday, the Gaels got all of their run in the top of the second inning. Argyle scored on a Pirates error before junior infielder Brianna Schauer drove in a pair with a single up the middle to put Iona ahead early 3-0.
The Pirates answered with four runs in the bottom of the frame to lead for good before adding an insurance run in the fourth on an Iona error.
Sophomore Jordan Courage took the hardluck loss for the Gaels, allowing four runs, one earned, with just two hits and one walk allowed in 2.2 innings.
The Gaels continue non-conference play next week with a spring break trip to Florida. The Gaels will play five games at the USF Invitational in Clearwater before a contest at UCF and two against Green Bay in Clearwater.
