SAN JOSE, CA – The Iona College softball team lost its first extra innings affair of the season, 2-1 to San Jose State. It was the third time that the Spartans topped the Gaels in the weekend tournament.

GAME SUMMARY

The final game of the Spartan Invitational began slowly on both sides. Freshman Kara Zazzaro got the nod once again for the Gaels; two hitters reached base in the first inning, but the rookie got a fly out and a strikeout to strand two runners. 
 
Iona also had two runners on base with one out after a Jasmine Temple double and a Ciarra DiGuilio walk in the second, but a foul out and a groundout left the two runners on base.
 
The Maroon & Gold had ducks on the pond again in the third. Two-out singles from senior Marisa Gergel and freshman Jessica Chilcott set Iona up for a soring chance for the second straight inning, but Temple grounded one to second base and the Gaels left two more runners on. 
 
Zazzaro set down an eighth consecutive Spartan to end the third inning and bring the Gaels to bat. With one out in the top of the fourth, DiGuilio pulled a ball over the right-centerfield fence to give the Maroon & Gold a 1-0 lead. Iona was retired in order after the homer and Zazzaro went back out to the bump to try and retain the lead.
 
The Southington, CT native retired a ninth straight batter before offering up a free pass to Madison Aurin. A grounder to first allowed Aurin to advance a base and move into scoring position with two away. Zazzaro got her second strikeout of the ballgame to get through the inning. 
 
Iona went quietly in the top of the fifth and San Jose State finally strung together some hits in the bottom half of the frame to even the score. The tying run would come around to score on a wild pitch, which also pushed the two other runners into scoring position. Zazzaro retired Cassidy Clark via a ground ball and things were right back where they started after five full innings.
 
A base knock for Temple chased the San Jose starter and Caroline Bowman came on in relief. The defense behind Bowman nearly cost her team the lead when a defensive miscue at short that would have ended the inning, put runners on second and third for the Maroon & Gold. Bowman got senior Hailey Thompson to groundout and end Iona's bid for another run.
 
Zazzaro retired seven of the next eight batters she faced after her wild pitch allowed the Spartans to even things at one. The Gaels had gone quietly in their turn to bat in the top of the seventh and the final game of the Spartan Invitational was headed to extras.
 
Sophomore Natalia Meray was placed on second to begin the eighth, per tournament rules. Gergel did her job perfectly, sacrificing Meray to third and offering an opportunity to her teammates to push the go-ahead run across the plate. Chilcott grounded one back to the mound, forcing Meray to stay on third and Bowman struck out Temple to end the top half of the first frame of extras.
 
San Jose State's runner that began the inning came around to score on two sacrifice flies and the Spartans defeated the Gaels for the third time.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• DiGuilio's homerun was the first of the season for the sophomore and the fifth of her career.
• Zazzaro hurled 7.2 innings, scattering three hits and allowing both runs (one earned). The rookie currently owns a 2.14 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP in five games started this year.
• San Jose State's Bowman threw 2.2 innings in relief, retiring all eight batters she faced to get the win.
• Chilcott finished the day 1-4, extended her hit streak to seven games. The rookie has reached base in all 13 games so far this season.
• Gael Nation wishes head coach Katie Jansson a happy birthday!

UP NEXT

Iona will remain on the west coast, traveling to Stockton, CA to play Pacific University on March 19.

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