WASHINGTON, DC – The Iona College baseball team ended its three-game series against George Washington with an 8-2 win against the Colonials. Rookie Hunter Sibley threw a gem as the Gael starter while the one-two punch in the Maroon & Gold batting order contributed seven hits and four runs.

GAME SUMMARY

Iona jumped out to a 4-0 lead following its first two at-bats. In the first inning, junior Brian Picone scored his first of three runs on a double-play grounded into by sophomore Sam Punzi. Sophomore Dereck Becker began the second inning with his first of two doubles on the day. The next two Gael batters were retired but the top of the order came around to ensure tallies on the scoreboard.
 
Picone scored Becker with a single to make it 2-0. Iona's leadoff man then stole second base and junior Stephen Furman walked to make it first and second. Senior Fran Kinsey stepped into the box and hit a ball into left field that was mishandled by the Colonials, allowing both runners to score.
 
George Washington scored its only two runs of the game in the fourth inning. Noah Levin hit a two-run home run off Sibley, scoring Dom D'Alessandro along with him.
 
The Colonials offense was held in check for the entirety of the game. Sibley went seven innings and allowed two runs on three walks and four hits. He struck out six batters. Rookie Drew Helmstetter threw a scoreless eighth inning and senior Antonio Velardi ended the game in the ninth.
 
The Iona pitching staff got extra support in the fifth inning with RBI doubles from rookie Jake Field and Becker. Iona held its 7-2 edge into the ninth when Kinsey got in on the run-scoring with a sacrifice play, scoring Picone.
 
Picone and Furman wreaked havoc in the top two spots in the order. Together they combined to hit 7-for-9 with four runs score, one run batted in and one walk. Picone also had a stolen base.
 
Seven different Gaels had at least one hit. Four players drove in at least one run and six student-athletes crossed the plate for at least one run.
 
George Washington starter Alex Kobertsteen suffered the loss going 4.2 innings and surrendering 10 hits, seven runs, five earned. He struck out two Gaels and had a pair of walks and wild pitches. The quartet of Colonial relievers threw the final five innings and surrendered one unearned run on three hits.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• Picone's three runs scored is a season-high for an Iona player this season.
• Furman led all players with four hits, which is a career-high for him and a season-best for a Gael this season.
• Sibley's seven innings tied a season-best this season for an Iona player. It has been done three times, which the latest being sophomore Stephen Hansen in the series opener on Friday, Mar. 15.
• Sibley has not allowed more than three earned runs in his five pitching outs this season. He also set a new career-high with six strikeouts of Colonials on Sunday.
• Picone leads the Maroon & Gold with six multi-hit games this season. He has three games with two hits and three games with three hits.
• Helmstetter has back-to-back scoreless relief outings for the second time this season.

UP NEXT

The Iona College baseball program resumes action on Tuesday, mar. 19 at LIU Brooklyn. First pitch from LIU Field is scheduled for 3 p.m. It is the final non-conference game before Iona's first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game on Saturday, Mar. 23 at home against Fairfield.

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