JERSEY CITY, NJ- The Iona College baseball team split a doubleheader with Saint Peter's in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at Jaroschak Field. The Gaels dropped the opener 11-3 before exploding for a season-high 16 runs in the 16-9 night cap victory. Senior RF Joe Smith had a career-best five hits in the second contest.

Saint Peter's used a four-run third inning and scored five insurance tallies in their final two at bats to take the opener.

Trailing 2-0, the Gaels knotted the score in the top of third. Senior 3B Bobby Vitulano led off with a base hit to left. He advanced to second when senior CF Joe Torres was hit by a pitch. After the duo pulled off a double steal, Vitulano came home on a throwing error by the Saint Peter's catcher. Two batters later, Torres scored on an RBI base hit by rookie C Alex Beckett.

The Gaels third run came on an RBI single by sophomore SS Vinny DeMaria. Torres scored following an infield single, a stolen base and advancing to third on an error.

DeMaria was 2-for-4 with the RBI in the contest. Torres, Guiliano, Beckett, Vitulano, sophomore PH Zach Brown and rookie 2B Tyler Bruno each recorded single hits in the loss. Senior RHP Kenny Dietrich took the loss, pitching 2+ innings.

In the night cap, the Gaels survived a rocky start and a seven-run sixth inning by Saint Peter's while scoring 15 straight runs in between in the 16-9 win.

Sophomore RHP Mariano Rivera allowed two runs and two walks in the opening frame and allowed just three base runners over the next four innings.

Iona scored seven runs in the top of the second inning to take the lead for good. Smith collected the team's first RBI and his first hit of the day with a single to plate sophomore DH Travis Mistretta. Vitulano drew a bases loaded walk two batters later. Torres plated a run with a sacrifice fly. After DeMaria walked to load the bases, Guiliano delivered the big blow, a three-run triple to the right centerfield gap. Beckett followed with a sac fly to account for the Maroon & Gold's seventh run.

The Gaels led 8-2 after two and a half innings after a two-out RBI base hit by DeMaria. The visitor's added three in the top of the fourth. Bruno picked up the Gaels third sac fly of the contest. With two outs, Vitulano reached on an error that allowed Smith and sophomore 1B Christian Choman to score and give Iona an 11-2 advantage.

The Gaels were not done scoring, adding four more in the fifth. Mistretta, Smith, Bruno and Vitulano each earned RBI in the inning.

Saint Peter's seven-run sixth cut the deficit to six in the bottom of the sixth. Rivera was charged with all the runs though the big blow was a three-run double off sophomore reliever Jake Kurz.

Iona answered with a run in the top of the seventh. Smith completed a career day with a leadoff triple. He scored two batters later on a Vitulano double.

Smith was the offensive star, going 5-for-5 with a triple, four runs scored and two RBI. It was the first five-hit game for the Gaels since Torres accomplished the feat at Wofford on Feb. 19, 2011. It was Iona's first five-hit game vs. a MAAC opponent since former CF Steve Sallustio vs. Le Moyne at Salesian Field on Mar. 28, 2004.

Smith was one of five Gaels with multiple hits in the win. Mistretta, Beckett and Vitulano each had three hits while DeMaria had is second two-hit effort of the day. Vitulano and Guiliano each drove in three runs while Bruno added two. Six Iona performers scored at least two runs in the victory.

Rivera earned the win tossing 5.2 innings with six strikeouts. Kurz and sophomore LHP Andrew Pucillo split the final four outs.

The two teams complete the three-game series in Jersey City tomorrow at noon.