NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona College softball team split with Canisius in Saturday's doubleheader, winning game one but falling in the second contest.
Kara Zazzaro tossed a complete-game two hitter, allowing one run and striking out 12 en route to her eighth win of the season in game one.
GAME ONE: (IONA 3, CANISIUS 2)
It was an odd top half of the first inning in game one. Zazzaro struck out four batters, did not allow a hit or a walk, yet still faced a 1-0 deficit heading into the home half of the frame. After striking out Kara Paradowski for what would have been the second out, the ball bounced in the dirt and allowed Paradowski to reach first. She stole second then came around to score on a two-out pop up that was dropped in the infield. Zazzaro eventually struck out Dennis to end the inning, her fourth punchout of the frame.
The Gaels went down in order in the first and second innings, facing a 2-0 deficit entering the third inning after Destiny Falquez took Zazzaro deep in the second inning on a 2-2 fastball with two outs. Chilcott provided the answer for the Gaels in the bottom of the third, hitting a two-out solo homerun to centerfield to make it a 2-1 ball game.
Natalia Meray walked on four pitches after the solo shot, but the inning ended when
Kaelene Walter grounded out to the shortstop.
Iona had a chance to tie things in the fourth inning after
Ciarra DiGuilio doubled to lead off the inning, but Megan Giese retired the next three batters she faced to strand the tying run in scoring position.
Zazzaro walked around a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth, catching a break with the inning ending after Paradowski left first early on a steal attempt. The Maroon & Gold would tie things up in their half of the fifth inning.
Morgan Ritchey started things with a single into rightfield, then advanced 60 feet on a
Brielle Hill groundout. With a base open, Canisius worked around Chilcott, walking her on four pitches. Meray followed that up with a single to the opposite field, but not deep enough to score Ritchey, who moved to third while Chilcott moved up to second. Walter drove home the tying run with a fly ball to leftfield before Giese got DiGuilio to ground out to end the inning.
Zazzaro really settled in during the latter innings, striking out the side on 12 pitches in the top of the sixth to keep the game tied at 2-2.
Jamie Sheeran led off the home half of the sixth with a walk on a full count, but was forced out on the basepaths after getting caught up between first and second in the middle of
Kaylin Flukey's at bat. Flukey managed to reach on a single, forcing Giese out of the game. Sarah Cantley entered, immediately offering a free pass to
Brianna Buck on four pitches. Ritchey followed with a picture perfect bunt, past the pitcher towards the shortstop that loaded the bases without a throw. Iona took a 3-2 lead on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hill. The ball sliced into foul territory and the throw was not in time to get
Haley Weaver, the pinch runner, that scored, but the inning ended after Buck was caught up in a rundown after trying to advance on an errant throw.
Zazzaro set the side down in order, retiring the final eight batters she faced in the game to secure her eighth win of the season and give the Gaels a MAAC-leading nine wins.
GAME ONE: (CANISIUS 14, IONA 5)
Alyssa DeJianne started game two for Iona, running into instant trouble in the first inning. Canisius struck for four runs in the opening frame. Two of the four runs crossed the plate without the ball leaving the infield. DeJianne would finish the inning, striking out Hufford in her second plate appearance of the inning. Canisius led 4-0 before the Gaels came to bat.
The Maroon & Gold made it a one-run game in the bottom of the first, highlighted by
Kaelene Walter's first homer of the season, a two-run shot that started the scoring for Iona. The Gaels would push across another run after a Buck single brought home Sheeran with an unearned run to make it 4-3.
The Gaels tied things up in the bottom of the second, scoring an unearned on a Walter infield single with one out. Nicasio worked out of the jam after allowing the tying run, giving her offense a chance to take the lead once more.
They did so in the top of the fourth, when a McGee-Ross infield single pushed across the game-deciding run. Canisius added on, now leading 6-4 after another single brought home another runner. The Griffs would add five more runs in the top of the sixth, taking a 12-4 lead into the home half of the sixth. Iona responded with one run in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the deficit to five runs. Canisius would add two more in the seventh, eventually taking game two 14-5.
AROUND THE MAAC
- Fairfield swept Rider on Saturday afternoon.
- Manhattan split with Monmouth on Saturday. The two teams scored a combined four runs in 14 innings.
- Niagara and Quinnipiac split in Lewiston with the Purple Eagles winning game one in extra innings.
- Siena swept Saint Peter's, needing 11 innings in game two to complete the sweep.
UP NEXT
Iona and Canisius are scheduled to play a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Donald E. Walsh Field. Because of the impending inclement weather, there will not be a stream of tomorrow's doubleheader. Fans can follow along via live stats.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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