WEST HARTFORD, CT – The Iona College softball program began the first ever Nor-Eastern Classic Tournament by splitting a pair of games. The Gaels opened with an 8-5 win over the host Hartford Hawks but dropped an 8-0 decision to Boston University to end the day.
Iona 8, Hartford 5
Seven different players recorded hits for Iona as a seven-run fourth inning propelled the Maroon & Gold to a three-run victory against the Hawks. Freshmen Maggie Foley and Natalia Meray each had two hits alongside sophomore Ciarra DiGuilio. Meray had a team-best two runs batted in while five different student-athletes collected on RBI a piece.
Senior Jessica Harkness started the game and went 5.2 innings allowing five runs, only two earned, on 11 hits and two walks. Freshman Samantha Bender entered the game in the sixth inning with Hawks trailing by three and threatening having runners on the corners. Following a passed ball and walk, Bender struck out sophomore Madison Hilimire to escape the bases loaded jam. The rookie hurler has a team-high three saves thus far this season.
Hartford began the game loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first inning. Harkness danced around the runners and left the circle allowing just one run despite eight Hawk batters coming to the plate.
Iona was held scoreless till the fourth inning when the bats heated up. Batting around the order, the Gaels collected five hits and a walk on way to its highest scoring inning of the season. Junior Kimberly Chiapparelli drove home senior pinch runner Samantha Mello to begin the scoring. After senior Tori Danner reached base on a pass ball despite striking out, DiGuilio drove home Chiapparelli with a single up the middle. Junior Hailey Thompson scored Danner on a fielder's choice before Foley and Meray drove home runs on a walk and one-bagger respectively. The final run of the frame was scored by Foley on a groundout induced by senior Marisa Gergel.
An insurance run was scored in the top of the sixth inning with Meray's second RBI which drove home Foley.
Boston University 8, Iona 0 (5 Innings)
The Terriers limited the Gaels to just one hit in five innings while collecting nine hits of their own. Chiapparelli earned the lone base-knock with two outs in the top of the fourth inning. DiGuilio also reached base on a walk.
Boston University gathered two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Brittany Younan crosses the plate on a groundout from junior Madi Killebrew. After reaching on a single herself, junior Alexis Heinen scored on senior Emma Won's RBI single to right center.
The damage was done in the second inning. The Terriers scored five runs on five hits and one error. Killebrew drove home her final two RBI with a triple to right center. Wong also recorded a multi-RBI game with a single to score senior Jilee Schanda.
At the end of the second inning the Terriers led the Maroon & Gold, 7-0. BU would add one more run in the third inning to push the Terriers passed the mercy limit.
Bender went two innings and had all eight Terrier runs credited to her. Sophomore Marnie Skinner went the final two innings for the Gaels gathering three strikeouts on eight batters faced.
The Gaels continue the Nor'Eastern Tournament Classic tomorrow with two games. They'll rematch against the Terriers before battling the CCSU Blue Devils.
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