HAMDEN, CT – The Iona College offense used strong starts in both contests as part of a doubleheader sweep over Quinnipiac. The Gaels improve their MAAC record to 7-1 and vault over the Bobcats in the league standings.
GAME ONE: Iona 6, Quinnipiac 0
Iona got on the board immediately in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Taylor Brown, making her third straight start, walked with one out. Sophomore Jasmine Temple made it second and third with a double to the opposite field. Gael senior slugger Tori Danner made it a pair of consecutive two-baggers, and plated both Temple and Brown, with her fifth extra-base hit of the season. Junior Kimberly Chiapparelli one-upped her teammates with a triple right center that made the score 3-0 before the Bobcats came to the plate.
Danner continued her offensive onslaught at the plate in the top of the third inning. She belted her third homerun of the season in no-doubt fashion over the left field fence, giving the Gaels a 4-0 lead.
In her third at-bat in the top of the fifth inning, Danner herded home her fourth RBI on her third hit of the game. With the bases loaded and two outs, she squeezed a single up the middle to centerfield to score pinch-running freshman Kayle Hujber. Danner chipped on another double and RBI in the top of the seventh to bring the scoreboard to its final 6-0 tally.
Danner's five runs batted in is the second highest of her career. She had six RBI against Wagner last season. Her two doubles tied a program single-game record. Danner tied her personal best with nine total bases which she had first set against Saint Peter's last season.
Sophomore Marnie Skinner continued her dominance of the MAAC with her third complete game in her fourth conference contest. The reigning MAAC Pitcher of the Week went the distance allowing just five hits while striking out four and allowing no walks.
Sophomore Jasmine Temple had two hits and one run scored. Junior Kimberly Chiapparelli, senior Courtney Miller and sophomore Ciarra DiGuilio each had one hit.
GAME TWO: Iona 6, Quinnipiac 5
Senior Marisa Gergel started game two with a leadoff single to centerfield. After a sacrifice bunt from Brown, the Gaels got on the board with Temple bringing home Gergel on base-knock up the middle. Not done yet, Chiapparelli ensured two more runs for Iona with a two-out single to make the score 3-0. Scoring on the play were DiGuilio and Danner, who had reached base on a walk and fielder's choice, respectively.
Quinnipiac scored its first run on the day on a solo shot from senior Miranda Magana in the bottom of the first inning. The Maroon & Gold quickly brought their lead back to three in the top of the second with Temple driving home Gergel for a second straight inning.
Bobcats got back to within one in the bottom of the fourth inning with red-shirt senior Keilani Finley hitting a two-run homerun to left field.
Temple reached base for the third straight at-bat to begin the top of the fifth inning. DiGuilio followed with an infield single to the shortstop and Danner then laid down a bunt that resulted in an error to load the bases. With nobody out, Chiapparelli registered a productive RBI groundout to the second basemen to score Hujber, who entered to pinch run for Temple. After Miller walked and junior Hailey Thompson fouled out, sophomore Rebecca Gabert delivered a crucial two-out single to left center to drive home DiGuilio and made the score 6-3.
The Bobcats threatened in the latter innings. After stranding two runners in both the fifth and sixth innings, they finally broke through in their final at-bat. With two outs and runners on first and second, senior Keila Cordeiro rocketed a double to left field. That was starter Alana Evans' final batter; rookie Samantha Bender came in to get the last out and managed to induce a groundout to secure Iona's seven MAAC victory. Bender now has four saves on the season.
Evans went 6.2 innings and allowed 10 hits, five earned run and one walk. She struck out eight batters.
Iona returns to Connecticut tomorrow for a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon against the defending MAAC Champion, Fairfield. First pitch against the Stags scheduled for 12:00 PM.
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