NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College softball team completed a sweep of Saint Peter's University in its Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opening series with a 13-5 victory Tuesday afternoon at Rice Oval. The game began in the second inning after the game was halted following the first inning on Saturday. Trailing 5-0, the Gaels ended the contest with 13 unanswered runs.
Freshmen Ashlyn Morris and Kristen Turner each had three hits to lead five Gaels with multi-hit efforts. Turner and sophomore Sarah Schutz each drove in four runs apiece in the win.
The Peacocks entered the contest with a 2-0 lead and added three runs in the top of the second. Candice Koch scored on a bases loaded walk before Stephanie Gilronan and Chelsea Crews scored on an Iona error.
The Gaels took the lead for good with seven runs in the bottom of the frame. With two on, Turner lifted the ball over the center field wall for her eighth home run of the season, cutting the Iona deficit to two. Later in the inning, Schutz put the Gaels ahead by two with a grand slam to left center, her second round tripper of the season.
Iona extended its lead with five more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Turner led off the frame with a double to right center before junior Carly Argyle chased her home with a double of her own. Brianna Schauer plated Argyle with the third straight two bagger, pushing Iona ahead 9-5. With the bases loaded, junior Allison Hand drew a bases loaded walk before Morris provided an RBI groundout. Turner then drove in the fifth run of the frame with another bases loaded walk.
Ahead by seven, the Gaels ended the game in the sixth inning. Morris walked to lead off the inning. A hot shot single by Turner put runners on the corners before Argyle delivered a walk off single to left, scoring Morris with Iona's 13th run of the game.
Argyle picked up her fifth win of the season, allowing five runs, four earned, over her six innings to go along with six strikeouts. Erica Colon took the loss for Saint Peter's, allowing six runs, five earned, in 2.2 innings of work.
