LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Iona College softball program extended its winning streak to four games with a pair of wins against the Rider Broncs on Wednesday afternoon. In game one, senior Kristen Turner set her fourth program record when she recorded her 40th career double, surpassing Darleen Anderson's ('95) previous milestone.
GAME ONE: Iona 7, Rider 0
Sophomore Alana Evans kept Rider at bay while the Maroon & Gold used a dominant second inning burst to earn their third straight MAAC contest.
Senior left fielder Ashlyn Morris, sophomore right fielder, and Turner combined for five hits, two runs scored, and three runs batted in. Sophomore second basemen Hailey Thompson went 1-for-2 with two runs scored while junior catcher Tori Danner drove home two runs on her one hit.
Turner's record breaking double came in Iona's six-run second inning, driving home Thompson and senior centerfielder Kelsey Long. In that same inning, senior shortstop Katie Newton stole her 31st career base, putting her three shy of tying Beth Walsh's ('84) program record.
Evans, the reigning MAAC Pitcher of the Week, threw seven innings of three hit, one walk, seven strike out ball. She faced 25 batters, inducing 13 fly outs compared to one groundout.
Junior Monica Clark, redshirt freshman Gabby Bram and sophomore Amanda Jordan had the hits for the Broncs.
GAME TWO: Iona 6, Rider 0
Freshman Marnie Skinner continued Iona's dominance in the circle in game two. The rookie went seven innings, allowing no runs on three hits and just one walk. Skinner struck out six of the 26 batters she faced.
Offensively the Maroon & Gold got another multi-hit game from Thompson. Gergel, Turner and Danner combined to drive in four the Gaels runs with one hit piece. Gergel and Thompson scored four runs, joined by sophomore Kimberly Chiaparelli and Long.
Iona scored a trio of runs in the third and fourth to give Skinner more than enough run support.
The three hits recorded by the Broncs came from Clark, and freshman Elyse Cuttic.
Over Wednesday's game, Iona's starters combined to allow just six hits. Evans and Skinner struck out a total of 13 batters. Behind their efforts, the Gaels remain in first place in the MAAC standings with a 12-4 record.
On Sunday, Apr. 31 Iona travels to Saint Peter's for a doubleheader against Saint Peter's beginning at 1:00 PM.
