NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College softball team was eliminated in the MAAC Quarterfinals after losing to No. 6 Manhattan, 11-5, in New Rochelle on Sunday afternoon. A four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth brought the Gaels within one run of the lead, but the Jaspers scored five in the top of the seventh to pull away for good.
GAME SUMMARY
Lauren Rende reached base to open up the top of the first against Iona starter Kara Zazzaro after an error in left field. Zazzaro got a couple of groundouts before a wild pitch with two outs allowed Rende to score the game's first run. The inning ended when freshmen Jamie Sheeran and Kayla Haywood combined to throw out Daniela Chiorazzi trying to steal second after a two-out walk.
Manhattan's Nicole Williams started things with two quick outs in the home half, but back-to-back singles by Sheeran and Ciarra DiGuilio put two runners on for Iona. Alana Evans flied out to center to end the first and help Williams protect the early lead.
The lead dissipated shortly thereafter when Natalia Meray hit her second homer of the weekend, and third of the season, off of the foul pole in left. Like they did in the first, Sheeran and DiGuilio reached in consecutive plate appearances to put the go-ahead runs on base. Williams got Evans to bounce out to third to end the frame and strand a pair of runners.
Zazzaro and Williams, now locked in a pitcher's duel, both tossed a clean fourth inning. The Jasper offense got to Zazzaro in the fifth however, scoring five runs to build a big lead late. With the bases loaded and no one out, Annie Moore gave Manhattan the lead again on a two-RBI single through the middle of the infield. Zazzaro got her first out of the inning on a comebacker hit by Marika Deemer, but Moore moved up to third. She would score on a Chiorazzi single to make it 4-1. Later in the frame, Victoria Alonso plated two runs after a wild pitch moved both up into scoring position. The inning came to a close when Zazzaro got Jesse Rising to pop up on the infield, but Manhattan jumped out to a 6-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, Iona would chase Williams from the game and eventually pull within one run of the lead. Singles by Evans and pinch hitter Jasmine Temple put runners on the corner with one away. Morgan Ritchey delivered a run-scoring single up the box, forcing Manhattan head coach to bring in Deemer in relief of Williams. Kaelene Walter, who entered earlier as a defensive replacement, greeted Deemer by smashing a three-run homer over the fence in left center. Now within one run of the lead and the bases cleared, Iona's lineup turned over. Deemer beared down, getting Jessica Chilcott and Meray to ground out and maintain a slight edge, 6-5, on the scoreboard.
Zazzaro took to the circle again in the seventh, but struggled. She was not helped out initially, as a pop fly into the outfield behind the second base bag was mishandled and allowed Chiorazzi to reach for the third time. Zazzaro hit the next batter and allowed a single to Gabriella Mazzotta to load the bases with no one out. Alonso came up clutch again, singling past the diving Meray at third base to plate two runs. Moore and Deemer provided more insurance later in the frame, pushing Manhattan's lead to 11-5 heading into the final frame.
Sheeran started things in the seventh with a single into left, but was doubled up on the very next pitch when DiGuilio hit a ball to first that Gebhardt handled and fired to second. Evans jumped on the very first pitch she saw in the next at bat, flying out to right and ending the game.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Zazzaro tossed her 17th complete game of the season, falling to 19-4 with the loss. She allowed 11 runs (eight earned) on 13 hits, while striking out just three and walking four. Iona's defense made three errors behind the junior.
- Meray hit her third homer of the season and second of the series to get Iona on the board against Williams.
- Walter's sixth-inning bomb was her second of the season and the third of her career.
- Ritchey drove home Iona's other run. The sophomore finished the season with three of her six RBIs coming in the final four games of the year.
- Sheeran, the MAAC Rookie of the Year, was the only Gael to register two hits.
- Iona's other hits came from Chilcott, DiGuilio, Evans, Haywood and Temple.
- The Gaels were 4-7 at the dish leading off innings, with all four hits coming to lead off the final four frames.
- Manhattan hit an efficient .529 (9-17) with runners in scoring position. The Jaspers also hit .538 (7-13) with two outs. Six of Manhattan's 11 runs came with two outs.
AROUND THE MAAC
- No. 2 Canisius came back to score three runs in the fifth and sixth innings to defeat No. 7 Rider, 7-5, to move on and host the MAAC Championship.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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