NORFOLK, VA - Behind a solid pitching outing from one of its seniors, the Iona College baseball team earned its first victory of the 2018 campaign with a 6-1 decision at Norfolk State this afternoon. The contest was the second of a three-game trip to Virginia.

Senior Joe DeRosa logged 7.1 innings of work with eight strikeouts, no earned runs and just one walk allowed while scattering six hits to earn the victory. Sophomore Mario Ferraioli finished off the final 1.2 innings to earn his first save of the season behind three strikeouts and one hit allowed.

DeRosa started the game by striking out the side in the bottom of the first to work around a two out walk. Following a 1-2-3 second, the senior worked around a single in the third before surrendering an unearned run in the fourth after Alsander Womack led off the frame by reaching on a fielding error. Stephen Baughan scored the lone tally for Norfolk (0-5) after reaching on a fielder's choice and scoring on a double from Aaron Robinson. 

The Lagrangeville native settled in after the fourth by striking out two in the fifth to retire the Spartans in order before stranding two runners on the corners in the sixth and going in order again in the seventh. With two runners on in the eighth with one out, Ferraioli took over to leave the runners on with a pair of outs. The sophomore closed out the game in the ninth despite a leadoff single by producing a fly out and two swinging strikeouts.

With only one run being given up by the Iona (1-4) pitching staff on the afternoon, the offense worked early and late to provide enough margin for the win. The Gaels struck first in the third inning as Tyler Bruno scored after taking first to lead off the inning on an infield error. With Norfolk tying the score at 1-1 in the fourth, the fifth and sixth went scoreless before the Maroon & Gold took the lead in the seventh.

Brian Picone led off the top of the seventh with a single to left center and was able to make it to second on an outfield fielding error. Two batters later, Picone scored the go-ahead run as Joe DeMaio reached on a fielding error at the first base corner. Bruno scored his second run of the game in the frame as well on a sacrifice fly from Fran Kinsey to push the advantage to 3-1.

In the ninth, Ferraioli gained some breathing room as Kinsey scored DeMaio with a one out single before the center fielder scored later in the inning on a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Lou Matarazzo capped off the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left center to score Sean Breen.

Offensively, Kinsey finished with two hits, two RBI and a run scored for the afternoon as Iona used six hits and took advantage of five errors from Norfolk State towards the victory to support the outing from DeRosa.

The finale from Norfolk State is slated for 11 am tomorrow morning as the Gaels face Sacred heart.