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Iona University Athletics

Kaelene Walter
Anthony Sorbellini
6
Winner Iona ION 10-6, 10-6-0 MAAC
0
Quinnipiac QUI 3-14, 3-14-0 MAAC
Winner
Iona ION
10-6, 10-6-0 MAAC
6
Final
0
Quinnipiac QUI
3-14, 3-14-0 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Iona ION 0 0 1 0 5 0 0 6 7 0
Quinnipiac QUI 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 1

W: Zazzaro, Kara (9-2) L: Woeste (1-12)

1
Iona ION 10-7, 10-7 MAAC
9
Winner Quinnipiac QUI 4-14, 4-14 MAAC
Iona ION
10-7, 10-7 MAAC
1
Final
9
Quinnipiac QUI
4-14, 4-14 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 R H E
Iona ION 0 0 0 0 1 1 3 1
Quinnipiac QUI 3 0 4 2 0 9 14 1

W: McGraw (2-0) L: DeJianne, Alyssa (1-4)

Game Recap: Softball | | Jack Clark

Iona Softball Earns Mid-Week Split at Quinnipiac

NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College softball team split its doubleheader at Quinnipiac today, winning game one behind a complete-game shutout effort from Kara Zazzaro. The Gaels lost game two 9-1 in five innings.

GAME ONE: (IONA 6, QUINNIPIAC 0)

After a quiet opening two innings to begin things in Hamden, Iona started the scoring in the third frame. The Gaels did all of their work with two outs. Brielle Hill, Jessica Chilcott and Natalia Meray all hit singles, loading the bases for Kaelene Walter. The sophomore drew a bases-loaded to bring home the first run of the game. Quinnipiac's Julia Woeste stranded the bases loaded by getting Ciarra DiGuilio to bounce into a fielder's choice.

Zazzaro allowed baserunners in the third and fourth innings, but neither runner made it past first base. Iona tacked on five more runs in the top half of the fifth. Hill started the rally with her second hit in as many at-bats, followed by a Chilcott two-bagger. On a grounder to third by Natalia Meray, Hill was nearly thrown out trying to retreat to third, but dove back just ahead of the tag to load the bases with no outs. Walter followed with her second bases-loaded walk of the game to make it 2-0, then DiGuilio doubled to deep center to clear the bases and put the Gaels ahead 5-0. Jamie Sheeran doubled down the left field line to plate DiGuilio and continue the offensive onslaught by the Maroon & Gold. Things looked bleak for Woeste, who now allowed five runs on four hits without recording an out, but she managed to retire the next three batters to escape further damage.

A leadoff single for the Bobcats put them in an ideal spot to begin a rally, but one swing of the bat turned into two outs and killed the inning. Walter snagged a liner out of the air, firing back to first to complete the double play. Zazzaro struck out the next batter to record another clean inning and keep Quinnipiac off the board.

A two-out triple in the bottom of the sixth put the potential first run of the day for the Bobcats just sixty feet away, but Zazzaro preserved the shutout by getting a pop up on the infield to end the inning. The junior worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh, striking out the next three batters to secure the win and her first shutout of 2021.

GAME TWO: (QUINNIPIAC 9, IONA 1)

After being shut out in the opener, the Bobcats wasted no time in game two getting on the scoreboard. Quinnipiac opened things with back-to-back doubles, plating the first run of the day. Alyssa DeJianne, getting the nod for Iona in game two, walked the next batter before getting a quick two outs. A two-out single to the opposite field plated another run and then Quinnipiac made it 3-0 on an infield single. The Bobcats would leave the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but not before taking an early three-run lead.

Prior to Quinnipiac's three-run bottom of the first, Iona had a chance to open the scoring, but Meray was cut down as the lead runner on a DiGuilio single, ending the frame. The Gaels were retired in order in the top half of the second inning.

The Bobcats built upon their lead in the bottom of the third, in turn forcing DeJianne out of the game. The rookie did not record an out in the inning, allowing two runs and leaving two runners on as she gave way to DiGuilio. Working in relief, DiGuilio retired the first two batters she faced before a single down the line allowed one of her inherited runners to score, making it 7-0. DiGuilio got a ground ball back to the mound to get out of the inning. 

Facing a sizable deficit, Iona put two runners on base in the top of the fourth. Quinnipiac's Tori McGraw got Allie Taylor to ground out and Kaylin Flukey to fly out, however, ending the mini threat from the Gaels.

Quinnipiac would extend its lead to 9-0 in the bottom of the frame. The first of two runs was unearned after an error to begin the inning. The second run came around to score on a two-out single through the middle, giving the Bobcats the nine-run advantage on the scoreboard.

Now facing the mercy rule in the top of the fifth, Iona needed a pair of runs to keep the game going. Kayla Haywood started things with a walk, then moved up to third after an error on a ball put in play by Hannah Collins. Alana Evans pinch hit for the Maroon & Gold, striking out. Chilcott got Iona on the board with a sacrifice fly to right, but McGraw finished what she started, retiring Meray to end the game.

NOTABLE NUGGETS

  • Zazzaro's complete game effort in game one was her eighth of the season and the shutout was her first of the year. Zazzaro is now 9-2 this season and reached 100 strikeouts on the season.
  • DiGuilio drove in three runs in game one, her best effort since plating four runs in the season opener at Niagara.
  • Chilcott registered her sixth multi-hit game of the season in game one and despite going hitless in game two, extended her on-base streak to six games with a walk.
  • Hill recorded her second consecutive two-hit game, finishing 2-3 with two runs scored in game one.
  • Meray had a hit in both games today, moving her hitting streak to a team-leading seven games.
  • Walter's two RBIs today were numbers nine and ten on the season, moving her into a tie for third-most on the team.
  • As a team, the Gaels are now 8-4 on the road after the split. 

AROUND THE MAAC

  • Canisius and Siena split on Wednesday. The Griffs won game one, 3-0, behind a complete-game shutout from Emily Nicosia. The Saints won game two on the strength of a four-run sixth inning.
  • Rider went on the road and swept Saint Peter's, outscoring the Peacocks 17-2 between the two games.

UP NEXT

Iona remains on the road, heading down to Lawrenceville, New Jersey for a pair of doubleheaders at Rider on Saturday and Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon on both days at Herb & Joan Young Field.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Be sure to follow Iona College athletics on all social media platforms:
ICGaels: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (E-Mail Updates)
Iona Softball: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (E-Mail Updates) 



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