POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – The Iona College softball team lost to number-one seeded Marist 2-1 on Thursday. The game-winning run came across to score on a throwing error with two away in the bottom of the seventh inning. The loss is Iona's first in the double-elimination postseason tournament.
GAME SUMMARY
No. 1 Marist, playing on its home field, sent the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Co-Rookie of the Year to the mound in is first game of the tournament. The Gaels'
Kara Zazzaro, an All-MAAC Second Team selection, headed to the hill for No. 4 Iona.
Phippen edged out Zazzaro for Rookie of the Year and All-MAAC First Team honors, but the freshman donning the Maroon & Gold had the edge today. One slip up with two away in the bottom of the seventh would prove to be the difference between Iona knocking off the top-seeded Red Foxes and facing elimination in the tourney.
Both pitchers began the afternoon by retiring the first nine batters they faced in order. Sophomore
Natalia Meray, with an assist from some shoddy defense, became the game's first base runner with one out in the top of the fourth. Kimmie Chiapparelli and Jess Chilcott would hit back-to-back singles with two outs in the frame to drive in Meray to make it 1-0 in favor of the visiting Gaels. After walking
Ciarra DiGuilio to load the bases, Phippen would get yesterday's hero,
Hailey Thompson, to fly out to right field and end the inning.
Kara Zazzaro worked all the way into the sixth inning before allowing her first base runner. The rookie had retired the first 15 batters she faced before Morgan Gianelle led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a single to right field. The next batter, Hunter Hand, worked a six-pitch walk to put the first two runners on in the inning. A sacrifice bunt put the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position with just one away in the frame. Zazzaro got a lineout to Thompson at second base and a 3-2 offering to Casey Page was rolled over on and Marist left empty handed.
The seventh inning began perfectly for Zazzaro; she struck out three-hitter Ali Milam looking on three pitches to begin the final frame and got a foul out to the catcher on the very next pitch. Then, after falling behind 2-0 on Claire Oberdorf, Zazzaro served up a game-tying homerun to centerfield with the Red Foxes down to their last out. Kaley Coltrain singled to keep the inning alive and would come around to score the game-winning run on a throwing error on a ball hit to the left side of the field by Gianelle. The Red Foxes scored two runs on two hits and an error with their backs against the wall in the seventh inning.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Two of the three runs scored in the game were unearned. Both of the go-ahead scores came after errors made in the field.
- Zazzaro, saddled with the loss, began the game perfect through the first five innings. Both of Marist's runs against Zazzaro came with two outs in the seventh.
- Phippen earned her 19thwin of the season, scattering two hits, allowing one run (unearned) and striking out nine.
- The Maroon & Gold left three runners on base on the afternoon; all three were left on in the fourth inning when Thompson flew out with the bases juiced.
- Chilcott was the only Gael hitter that did not strikeout in the contest; DiGuilio was the only hitter to draw a base on balls for Iona.
UP NEXT
Iona is scheduled to play in an elimination game tomorrow between the winner of today's contest between Niagara and Siena. If the weather holds up, the game will be played at 1:30 p.m. and will be live on ESPN+.
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