LEWISTON, NY – The Iona College softball team split its season-opening doubleheader at Niagara, defeating the Purple Eagles in extra innings in the first of two games in Lewiston, New York. After surrendering a three-run lead in the bottom of the seventh, Iona put up a four spot in the eighth inning to defeat Niagara. The Purple Eagles won game two, 7-1.
GAME ONE: (IONA 10, NIAGARA 6)
After a scoreless top half of the first inning, Iona allowed one run in the bottom half of the opening frame. A leadoff single, followed by a wild pitch and a walk, placed Purple Eagles on the corners with no outs. Niagara's runner from third scored after Iona's
Hannah Collins threw down to second on a steal attempt, giving the Purple Eagles a 1-0 lead. Junior
Kara Zazzaro worked out of the inning with minimal damage.
Iona's first hit of the afternoon came in the third inning, and many more followed.
Maggie Foley led off with a leadoff single, then
Jessica Chilcott doubled.
Kaelene Walter singled home the two runners, pushing the Maroon & Gold in front, 2-1. Walter then stole second and
Ciarra DiGuilio singled to bring around Walter. DiGiulio eventually made it to third base with one out, but was stranded there.
Niagara tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with a two-out, two-run double. Iona would gain another advantage in the top of the fifth, however. DiGuilio struck again, this time with a two-run homer, giving the Gaels a 6-3 lead.
Zazzaro was cruising to the finish line, but Niagara worked some late-game magic to send it into extra frames. Trailing 6-3 and down to their final out, the Purple Eagles rallied to score three runs. A two-run double put them down one run, and Niagara would tie it on an error in the field. Iona narrowly escaped losing in the bottom of the seventh, tagging out the would-be game-winning run in a rundown in between third and home.
The Gaels wasted no times in extra innings, exploding for four runs in the top of the eighth.
Hannah Collins reached on an error to begin the frame, followed by a base on balls drawn by Foley. Chilcott blasted a three-run home run to once again give Iona the lead. Freshman
Jamie Sheeran padded the cushion with an RBI single later in the frame.
Entering her eighth inning of work, Zazzaro worked around a one-out single to shut Niagara down and secure the victory for her squad.
GAME TWO: (NIAGARA 7, IONA 1)
Iona started game two on the right foot, scoring in the top of the first inning. Chilcott and Walter doubled, bringing home Chilcott.
Alana Evans drew the start in game two, and was coasting in her first trip through the batting order. Evans allowed the first four batters to reach in the bottom of the third though, and the score was tied at one. Evans secured the first out of the inning, but it pushed home another run. Niagara managed two more runs and led 4-1 after three full frames.
The Gaels had just two more hits through the next five innings after scoring in the opening frame. Niagara, leading 4-1, pushed across three more runners in the bottom of the sixth. DiGuilio began the top of the seventh with a double and freshman
Kaylin Flukey followed with a single, but Riley Crum retired the next three batters to end the contest.
UP NEXT
Iona and Niagara play two more tomorrow, beginning at 11 a.m. at Niagara Softball Field.
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