LEWISTON, NY – The Iona College softball team split its final Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader against the Niagara University Purple Eagles on Sunday afternoon. Sophomore Jasmine Temple hit her team-leading sixth home run to carry the Gaels in their 11th league win.
GAME ONE: Iona 2, Niagara 1
The Gaels and Purple Eagles remained scoreless against one-another until the top of the sixth inning. Junior Marisa Gergel began the inning getting hit by a pitch. Just moments later Temple hit a two-run blast that gave the Maroon & Gold a 2-0 lead. Iona would just two more runners on base with a single from senior Tori Danner and a walk from freshman Maggie Foley but both runners were stranded.
Niagara got a run back in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Sarah Trifoso was hit by a pitch with one out and advanced to second on a single up the middle by freshman Kelsey Harrigan. After starting sophomore Marnie Skinner got the next batter to foul out, the Purple Eagles tied the game on an error which was induced but a double steal. With the score 2-1, Iona escaped the sixth by stranding the tying run on third base by getting a crucial third and final out on a ground out.
Nerves hit a peak in the bottom of the seven inning. Two Gaels errors in the first three batters made it first and second with one out for Niagara. Junior pinch-hitter Jennifer Timm walked to load the bases. With the tying run on third and the winning run on second base, Skinner was able to produce two crucial groundouts to ensure Iona held serve in a 2-1 decision.
Rookie Natalia Meray, Temple and Danner each had two hits. Iona's only other hit came from junior Hailey Thompson. The Gaels left eight runners on base.
The Purple Eagles had two hits and two walks in the entirety of the game. They were held hitless for the first three innings.
Sinner earned the win for Iona and improved to 9-7 on the year. She allowed one unearned run over seven innings. She had six strikeouts to go along with two fly outs and 12 groundouts.
GAME TWO: Niagara 5, Iona 0
Niagara scored a single-run in the bottom of the first inning and didn't look back as junior started Jennifer Szilagyi went six scoreless innings against the Maroon & Gold bats. Iona was held to three hits and one walk.
Senior Jessica Harkness began the game and went three innings surrendering three earned runs on four hits and five walks. Rookie Samantha Bender came on in relief and finished the game allowing two earned runs on two hits.
Harrigan and Timm had two runs batted in a piece to propel the Niagara offense. The Iona pitchers struck out just one Purple Eagle batter.
Senior Courtney Miller had a pair of hits and Danner tallied the other. Temple had the one walk.
Iona begins the 2018 MAAC Championship on Wednesday, May 9. The Tournament is being hosted by MAAC Regular Season Champions Monmouth in West Long Branch, NJ. The Gaels enter the tournament as the No. 4 seed and will match-up against No. 5 Manhattan on Wednesday in the first round.
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