NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College softball program utilized a complete-game shutout and the power of freshman
Jamie Sheeran to earn a split at home against Manhattan on Wednesday. The Jaspers shut out the Gaels, 8-0, in six innings in the second of two games at Donald E. Walsh Field on the campus of Iona College.
GAME ONE: (IONA 5, MANHATTAN 0)
Iona opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first on Wednesday, taking an early 1-0 lead on a Sheeran sacrifice fly that brought home Chilcott.
Daniela Chiorazzi singled and stole second to get Manhattan going in the second, but Zazzaro kept her composure, registering three straight outs to strand Manhattan's first runner of the afternoon. A two-out single for Emma Capuano in her first trip to the plate resulted in nothing for the Maroon & Gold after Maggie Foley grounded out.
Zazzaro punched out the first two batters in the top of the third before Gabriella Mazzotta singled to left field. Christine Gebhardt popped up to Natalia Meray at short to end the inning and strand another runner.
Brielle Hill started the home half of the third inning by reaching on an error and stealing second. After Kali Puppolo struck Chilcott out swinging, she offered a free pass to Meray to put runners on first and second. Sheeran followed with a single down the line to drive home Iona's second run. Later in the frame, Alana Evans singled into the outfield, plating Sheeran to make it 3-0, but was thrown out at second trying to advance, ending the inning.
Now protecting a three-run lead, Zazzaro made quick work of Manhattan in the fourth. She worked around a one-out single, eventually striking Jesse Rising out swinging to end the frame. Iona had a runner on third with two dead in the fourth, but Hill popped out, keeping the lead at three.
The Gaels would add insurance in the fifth, thanks to a laser-beam of a homer off the bat of Sheeran. Her third RBI of the day, and eighth bomb of the season, gave the Maroon & Gold a 4-0 lead with two away in the frame. Three consecutive two-out singles, the latter by Kayla Haywood, plated the Gaels' fifth run. Merika Deemer entered in relief to record the final out of the inning.
Zazzaro walked the leadoff batter in the sixth, then set down the next three batters. She retired the side in order in the seventh to secure the win for Iona in the first of two in New Rochelle.
GAME TWO: (MANHATTAN 8, IONA 0)
Alyssa DeJianne got the start for Iona in game two, beginning her afternoon with a clean inning, despite some sloppy play behind her. An error at second base put Gebhardt on with one out, then a single on the next pitch put two on. Chiorazzi swung at the first pitch she saw, as the previous three batters had done against DeJianne, popping up for the second out. Victoria Alonso saw three pitches, the most of any Jasper batter in the frame, flying out to left to strand a pair of her teammates on the basepaths.
Nicole Williams retired Chilcott and Meray to begin her day in the circle, then allowed a single to Sheeran and a walk to DiGuilio. Evans flew out to center to strand Iona's runners.
Manhattan opened the scoring in game two, scoring twice, one unearned against DeJianne. Deemer, who reached on an error, came around to score on a Mazzotta two-out single. Emma Kindblom scored on a wild pitch to give the visitors a 2-0 lead in the second. Evans snagged a Gebhardt liner at first to end the inning. Williams retired the side in order to secure a clean inning after being handed a lead.
Chilcott found herself in scoring position with one out after being hit by a pitch and advancing on a wild pitch. Williams set down Meray and Sheeran to keep Iona off the scoreboard, however.
Gebhardt cushioned Manhattan's lead with a two-out single into center in the fourth, ending the inning at the same time as she was cut down trying to advance to second. The Gaels wasted a two-out double off the bat of Haywood in the home half of the frame.
The Maroon & Gold stranded a runner in scoring position for the third consecutive inning in the fifth. A Chilcott two-out double was erased when Williams got Meray to pop up on the infield. Manhattan piled on in the top of the sixth, scoring five runs, highlighted by a three-run shot by Chiorazzi to take an 8-0 lead.
Iona, facing the run rule, went down 1-2-3 in the bottom the sixth to end the day.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Zazzaro's complete-game shutout was her second of the season and she is now 14-2 in the circle this season. The junior struck out 11 Jaspers, scattering three hits in the opener.
- Sheeran's game-one homer was her eighth of the season, tying her for the team lead with Chilcott.
- Sheeran drove home three of Iona's five runs in the first game, her team-leading fifth multi-RBI game.
- Iona's win in game one momentarily tied them with Manhattan in the season standings, but the game-two loss moved the Jaspers back into fourth place. Iona currently sits in a tie for fifth place in the MAAC table.
- Evans and Capuano both registered multiple hits in game one, the second multi-hit effort for each this year.
- The Gaels committed six errors in the field in game two, a season worst. The miscues led to three unearned runs.
- Haywood (7), Sheeran (14) and Chilcott (15) all extended their respective reached-base streaks for the Maroon & Gold.
AROUND THE MAAC
- Monmouth and Rider split its doubleheader on Wednesday in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
- Marist and Siena also split, with the Saints winning game two in nine innings.
- Fairfield swept visiting Quinnipiac on Wednesday, winning both of the games by a final score of 8-4.
- Canisius run-ruled Niagara in both games of the Wednesday doubleheader in Buffalo.
UP NEXT
Iona continues its homestand, welcoming Marist to New Rochelle for a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2. All four games will be streamed on ESPN3 or ESPN+ and first pitch is scheduled for noon on both days. Sunday will serve as Iona's senior day.
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