NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona College baseball team earned a victory in game one of today's doubleheader, 5-2, to earn a split with MAAC rival Manhattan. The Jaspers claimed game two 4-1 in eight innings.

Game One

The Jaspers (10-26, 5-6 MAAC) jumped ahead in the opener with a 2-0 lead after scoring a run in each the second and the fourth. Adam Genners singled in a run in the second followed by an Evan Brown scoring in the fourth on a throwing error.

In the bottom half of the fourth inning, Sean Breen opened the frame with a leadoff single followed by a double from Niko Switalla to put runner on second and third with no outs. Two batters later, Sean Scales drove in both runners to tie the game with a double to left field.

Tied at 2-2 in the sixth, Iona (13-16, 6-5 MAAC) plated three runs in support of Bill Maier to claim a 5-2 lead. Once again, Breen led the inning off with a base hit, this time a double to left center. Switalla provided a single to put runners on the corners for Alex Beckett. The catcher made the most of his opportunity, doubling to right center to put the Maroon & Gold ahead 3-2 as Breen scored.

Scales added the fourth run of the game by driving in Switalla on a sacrifice fly to center field. Beckett came around to score during the next at-bat as Seth Hoagland put a single through the right side.

The run support proved to be enough for Maier and closer Jared Finkel. Maier finished his day with eight innings tossed, eight strikeouts and no earned runs while scattering six hits. Finkel came on in ninth to earn his sixth save of the season with just one hit allowed.

Game Two

A 1-1 game in the nightcap went passed the scheduled seven innings as starters Joe DeRosa and Tom Cosgrove kept both offenses to limited production.

Manhattan claimed the first lead in the second inning once again as Brown struck for a one out, solo homerun on the first pitch he saw to right field. In the third, Fran Kinsey tied the game for Iona by scoring on a sacrifice fly from Matt Byrne.

Neither team was able to find a run in the next four innings, pushing to an extra eighth inning. In the top of the frame, the Jaspers took advantage of just one hit and three errors to score three times. Richie Barrella singled to lead off the inning and eventually scored the go ahead run on a fielding error.

Iona managed to put two runners on in the bottom of the eighth with one out looking for the equalizer. However, Cosgrove finished off the complete game with a pair of strikeouts to end the afternoon with nine.

In the effort, Joe DeRosa pitched 6.2 innings of work with six strikeouts and two hits allowed.

The Gaels and Jaspers conclude the weekend series tomorrow afternoon with a 12:00 pm first pitch at City Park.