BROOKLYN, NY – Despite a furious attempt to comeback in the late innings, the Iona baseball program dropped a 16-8 affair to neighborhood for LIU Brooklyn. The Maroon & Gold used nine pitchers in the game and hit a season-best three home runs on the offensive side.

GAME SUMMARY

Junior Jason Antalek started the game for Iona and went the first inning allowing two unearned runs on three hits. LIU Brooklyn would go on to score runs against each Gael pitcher that toed the rubber. The Blackbirds held an 11-0 lead after seven full innings, scoring in each frame expect the fourth.
 
Offensively LIU Brooklyn had three players with multiple hits and nine players had at least one hit. Gregory Vaughn was the leading contributor for the home team, having two hits and six runs batted in. He had a three-run home run in the second inning which made it 5-0 at the time. LIU Brooklyn utilized five errors by the Maroon & Gold defense.
 
Iona's bats broke through in the top of the eighth inning. Junior Stephen batted to lead off the inning and he reached base on an error. He later came around to score on an RBI single from Sam Punzi. Following an infield fly, freshman Jake Field hit a homerun to right field that scored three. A second banger in the inning came from graduate Jon Budesa. His round tripper scored sophomore Derek Becker, who had a two out double.
 
With an 11-6 lead after the top half of the eighth, LIU Brooklyn put the game away with five runs in the bottom half.
 
The Gaels scored two runs in the top of the ninth inning on a home run from senior Niko Switalla. Punzi crossed the plate on the round-tripper.
 
Ryan Neuweiler gets credited with the win LIU Brooklyn going the opening 6.0 innings allowing zero runs on four hits and three walks. Antalek suffered the loss for the Maroon & Gold.
 
Iona outhit LIU Brooklyn, 13-12. Eight Gaels were left on base; seven for the Blackbirds. Both teams had an OPS of over 1.000 in the game. Iona and LIU Brooklyn scored a combined 24 run and only 12 of those runs were earned.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• LIU Brooklyn and Iona combined for 11 runs in the eighth inning. They had six hits between the both of them. The Gaels and Blackbirds had three combined walked and two errors.
• Iona's three home runs in a single game is a new game-high. The Gaels had 39 at-bats, tying a season-best. It matched that against ETSU on Feb. 17. The 16 runs allowed and four errors is also a new season-high.
• Field's three runs batted in tied his season-best and team-high for the season. He also had three RBI vs. Marshall on Feb. 22. Field has five multi-RBI games.
• Junior Brian Picone saw his five-game hitting streak come to an end. Punzi extended his streak to six games, setting a new season-best for a Maroon & Gold player this season.
• Senior Fran Kinsey has reached base in 18 straight games. Punzi has reached base in 13 straight games.
• Following a game where the top two in the order went 7-for-9 with four runs scored and one RBI, Picone and Kinsey went 1-for-8 against the Blackbirds with one run scored.

UP NEXT

The Maroon & Gold being Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action on Saturday, Mar. 23 at home on City Park against the visiting Fairfield Stags. The two foes will play a pair on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. and one on Sunday afternoon. You will be able to follow the Gaels live via live stats.

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