LEWISTON, NY – The Iona College baseball program won its second straight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference series on Saturday. After a comeback attempt in game one fell just short, the Gaels won the rubber match against Niagara in decisive fashion. By taking two of three at Bobo Field, the Maroon & Gold elevate their conference record to 5-7.

GAME ONE: Niagara 9, Iona 6

Niagara took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Max Giordano led the inning off with a double to left center and advanced to a third on a wild pitch. He came around to score on a Joseph Tevlin on a single to left field for the Purple Eagles first run.  Following a single and walk by the next two batters, Tevlin crossed the plate on a fielder's choice grounded into by Dawson Bailey.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Tevlin scored again on an RBI single on an RBI single by Cole O'Connor. The Purple Eagles made it 5-0 with an unearned score and an RBI single by Michael Gabriele. It escalated to 7-0 on a one-out double to centerfield from Joey Battaglia. Benny Serano joined Niagara's hitting parade with a single to left field, scoring Giordano and Battaglia to make the tally 9-0.
 
Junior Chris Dodrill started the game for Iona and went 5.1 innings and surrendered five earned runs, six total, on seven hits and four walks. He struck out six of the 28 batters he faced. Junior Jason Goetz pitched one third of an inning and Niagara scored three runs against him. Sophomore Quentin Crudo recorded the final out.
 
Niagara's starter Matthew Bash limited the Maroon & Gold offense in his six innings of work as a starter. He allowed three hits and two walks and struck out ten Iona batters. Brash was replaced in the top of the seventh inning by Matthew Grace.
 
The Maroon & Gold loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch. Senior Niko Switalla showed patience and earned a walk, allowing rookie Daniel Palermo to go home. Following a second pitching change in the seventh, senior Fran Kinsey was struck by a pitch and sophomore Michael Gorman scored. The walk wagon continued and sophomore Sam Punzi's free pass allowed junior Brian Picone to scamper across the plate. After rookie Jake Field struck out, junior Stephen Furman, Palermo and Gorman earned RBIs on free passes.
 
With the bases loaded and the tying run on first base, the Purple Eagles made their third pitching change. Kyle Smyth entered the game toed the rubber with Picone at the plate. The Gael rally fell to an end with Iona's second basemen grounding into a force out.
 
Iona scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning despite getting zero hits. The Gaels three hits on the day came from Switalla, Kinsey and Palermo.
 
Goetz suffered the loss for the Gaels and Brash gets the win for Niagara. Smyth's one out recorded gave him credit for a save.

GAME TWO: Iona 14, Niagara 0

 
The Gaels controlled this game from the get-go and with junior Stephen Hansen toeing the rubber, Iona secured a series win on the Western New York swing.
 
Kinsey remained red hot at the plate with a one out solo home run over the right field fence in the top of the first inning. Hansen stranded three Niagara runners on base between the first and second innings, allowing the Gael offense to strike for their most potent inning of the season.
 
Iona scored nine runs in the top of the third inning. The Maroon & Gold sent 13 batters to the dish in route to gaining a 10-0 lead. They had four hits and took advantage of three walks and three Purple Eagle errors. Punzi, Furman, Gorman, and Picone had runs batted in during the rally. Iona scored eight of the nine runs with two outs.
 
Niagara starter Ben Erwin was relieved in the inning but saw his final pitching line read 10 runs allowed, five earned over 2.2 innings. He surrendered five hits and allowed two walks and hit two batters.
 
While the Purple Eagles had to use four pitchers over the course of the game, Hansen was dealing for the Gaels. Following the extended rest on the best during Iona's blow up inning, Hansen get the crucial 1-2-3 shutdown inning in the bottom of the third to aid in crushing Niagara's spirit. Niagara mustered five hits against Hansen and fanned 11 times against the ace. Five of those strikeouts were of the look variety. Hansen was relieved in the ninth by freshman Paul Sullivan, who worked around a hit and error to preserve the shutout.
 
Iona added two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Kinsey had a single up the middle while the bases were loaded with two outs. He brought home DeMaio and graduate Jon Budesa who came on to pinch run for Picone. The Maroon & Gold's final two runs came in the ninth with a two-run home run off the bat of Switalla.
 
Iona outhit the Purple Eagles, 13-6. The teams combined for seven errors however only the Gaels capitalized. Four Gaels had multiple hits: Kinsey, Furman, Gorman and DeMaio. Kinsey had a team-best three runs batted in. Iona walked six times in game two with Switalla garnering two of the free passes.
 
Gabrielle had two hits for Niagara. Hansen and Sullivan combined to not allow a single walk.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

• The Gaels have won five of their last six games. During the stretch the run differential is in favor of the Maroon & Gold, 57-22.
• Iona is also averaging 7.33 walks per game over the last six games. That does not include bit by pitches, which has occurred 13 times.
• Iona's 14-0 win in game two is its largest margin of victory against Niagara since 2002. The Gaels had not won a regular season series against the Purple Eagles since the 2015 season. The Gaels set a season-best with their 14 runs score.
• Over his last two outings, Hansen has thrown 16.0 innings, struck out 15 batters, walked none and surrendered three unearned runs. During MAAC play, his ERA is 2.17 over 29.0 innings.
• Kinsey is riding a season-best seven game hit streak and has driven home at least one run in six straight. He has also scored a run in five straight games. During that time, he has increased his batting average for .207 to .274.

UP NEXT

Iona travels to Rutgers University's Bainton Field in Piscataway, NJ on Wednesday, Apr. 24. It's next MAAC series begins on Saturday, Apr. 27 at 12:00 p.m. in Loudonville, NY against the Siena Saints.

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