FAIRFIELD, CT – Despite ending their offensive drought, the Iona College softball program ended its season with two losses at Fairfield. The Stags took game one 2-0 behind fantastic starting pitching, and they battled back in game two to shift the final score of 7-2 in their favor. The Gaels ended the season with a 13-33 record, and 7-13 mark in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.
GAME 1: Fairfield 2, Iona 0
For the third consecutive game, the Iona bats were held quiet by a dominating pitching performance from the other side. Senior Lauren Falkanger went the distance for the Stags, using eight strikeouts to propel her shutout five hit performance.
Iona had nine at-bats with runners on base, but only garnered one hit in those chances. The Gaels first missed a chance in the first when senior Carly Argyle flied to right field with runners on first and second.
Sophomore Courtney Miller found herself on second base as a pinch runner for senior designated player Christine Costello in the top half of the fifth; she would not come across to score as senior pinch hitter Brianna King popped out to first.
With their final at-bat in the top half of the seventh, the Gaels had runners on first and second with two outs. Unfortunately for Iona, Falkanger didn't become phased as she struck out junior centerfielder Kelsey Long to end the game.
Argyle pitched well in her final Iona appearance in the circle, going six innings, allowing two runs on just four hits and two walks.
Fairfield's first run came in the bottom of the fourth; sophomore Angelina McGuire started the inning with a walk, and she'd eventually come around to score on a RBI single by freshman Courtney Hankins. A Stags insurance run came in the sixth when McGuire once against crossed the plate via a sacrifice fly by Hankins.
Freshman right fielder Marisa Gergel, junior left fielder Ashlyn Morris, junior shortstop Katie Newton, Costello, and senior second basemen Allyn Clark each had one hit for the Maroon & Gold.
GAME 2: Fairfield 7, Iona 2
Iona ended its 18 scoreless inning streak with a RBI single by freshman third basemen Kimberly Chaipperelli in the top of the second inning. Newton crossed the plate after reaching on a fielder's choice before stealing her 11th base of the season to get in scoring position.
King made up for a missed opportunity in the first game of the day when she batted home the Gaels second run in the third with a single through the left side. The one-bagger scored Morris who had reached base earlier with a hit of her own.
The Stags got one run back in the bottom half of the third off back-to-back hits by McGuire and junior Tori Reed. This would serve as the appetizer as Fairfield would open up offensively come the fourth inning; the Maroon & Gold saw five Stags cross the plate in the frame, coming one four singles and two walks.
Costello started the game, and after surrendering three runs in the one-big inning, she was relieved by sophomore Jessica Harkness. Hankins once again made her presence known, singling to centerfield off the Gaels reliever to bring home the final two runs of the pendulum swinging inning.
Iona had a chance to answer back in the fifth when junior first basemen Kristen Turner and Gergel landed on third and second with two outs. Fairfield hurler sophomore Destinee Pallotto was able to escape the trouble by striking out Costello.
The final two runs for the home team came in the sixth inning, one being unearned on a miscue by Newton, and the other driven in with a single up the middle by senior Shelby Butwell.
Gergel had two hits to lead Iona, while Turner, Morris, King, Newton and Chiapparelli each contributed in one.
