SUMTER, SC - The Iona College baseball team picked up a doubleheader sweep of Lehigh at Ridley Park Friday afternoon. A three-run seventh inning led to a 6-4 win in the opener and a three-run eighth inning capped an 11-8 victory in the nightcap for the Gaels. The two teams arranged the four-game series on neutral ground following the cancellation of their respective weekend plans at Norfolk State.

In game one, sophomore 2B Matt Byrne collected three hits including a game tying RBI, a run scoring double in the bottom of the seventh. Byrne stole two bases, scored twice to go along with the equalizing hit. Junior LF Travis Mistretta also had three hits and an RBI. Senior 1B Jimmy Guiliano and sophomore DH Alex Beckett each had a hit and an RBI. Sophomore 3B Tyler Bruno drove home a run with a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the first.

The Gaels came back from deficits of 3-2 and 4-3 before the decisive seventh inning.

Sophomore RHP Bill Maier tossed six innings allowing three runs on six hits in the no-decision. Sophomore RHP Vinny Martin earned the win in relief, allowing a run in two innings of word. Junior RHP John Daddino shut the door in the in the ninth with a 1-2-3 inning to earn his first save of the season.

Game two saw another come from behind win for the Gaels. After taking a 4-1 advantage through four innings, Lehigh responded with six runs in the top of the fifth and led 7-4. Iona answered with four runs of its own in the bottom of the frame to regain an 8-7 advantage. After knotting the score in the top of the eighth inning, a two-out three-run triple by rookie 3B Seth Hoagland gave Daddino and the Maroon & Gold all it needed for the victory.

Byrne had his second three-hit effort with two doubles whil reaching base all four times and three more stolen bases in the win. Junior C Carmine Palummo was 2-for-3 with a run scored while Hoagland was 2-for-4 with four runs batted in.

Junior RHP Max Brucker, rookie RHP Joe DeRosa and sophomore LHP Andrew Camiolo combined for 7.2 innings before Daddino's second appearance of the day. The junior closer earned the win, closing the game with 1.1 innings and two strikeouts while allowing one base runner via an error to lead off his appearance.

Iona and Lehigh close a four-game series at Ashley Ridge High School in Summerville, SC Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at noon. Junior RHP Mariano Rivera and senior LHP Eddie Macaluso are the Gaels' hurlers for the afternoon.