NEW YORK, NY - The Iona College softball team defeated Columbia 2-1 at Baker Athletics Complex on Wednesday afternoon. A hard-hit ball off the bat of
Jamie Sheeran that deflected off the third baseman's glove brought home the go-ahead run for Iona in the top of the seventh.
Kara Zazzaro finished off the victory for the Gaels, snapping a four-game losing streak.
GAME SUMMARY
Brianna Bailey started the afternoon with a six-pitch walk, but was caught stealing second with Jessica Chilcott at the plate. Chilcott earned a free pass as well, moving up a base after a two-out single by Sheeran. Destiny Nardello grounded out to end the frame and strand a pair of first-inning runners for the Maroon & Gold.
Samantha Rieb tossed a clean bottom of the first for the Gaels, working around a bunt single and a stolen base to strand a Lion's runner in scoring position. She retired the side in order in the second and received a little help from Sheeran behind the dish in the third inning, cutting down a would-be base-stealer at second.
Columbia would get on the board in the bottom of the fourth. The Lions began the frame with a base on balls and a single. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position with one out. A run came around to score on a single to left center, but Chilcott and Natalia Meray teamed up to cut down the trail runner at third base for the second out. Sheeran nabbed a second would-be base-stealer to end the frame, though Columbia grabbed a 1-0 lead.
Morgan Ritchey led off the fifth inning with an infield single, moving up to second after Hannah Collins grounded a ball back to the mound that was thrown away at second base. With two runners on now courtesy of the blunder in the field, Allie Taylor drove a ball off the base of the wall down the left-field line to bring home Ritchey and tie the game at 1-1. The lineup turned over for the Maroon & Gold but Columbia's Raquel Reyes retired Bailey, Chilcott and Meray to strand the go-ahead runs on second and third.
Freshman Maddy Lowry relieved Rieb for the bottom of the fifth, tossing a 1-2-3 inning. She ran into some trouble in the bottom of the sixth, exiting in favor of Zazzaro after allowing the first two batters to reach base. Zazzaro struck out the first two hitters she faced then issued a two-out walk to load the bases in a tie game. A grounder to short on the first offering from Zazzaro was handled by Bailey and ended the inning.
Jordan Hill entered in relief for the Lions in the seventh, retiring Taylor for the first time in the game to begin the frame. Bailey was hit by a pitch and Chilcott worked a walk to put a pair of runners on with one out. Hill got Meray to ground out, forcing out the lead runner at third. Sheeran cashed in, roping a liner to third that came off the glove of the fielder and caromed into foul territory. Chilcott raced home from second with the go-ahead run. Iona had a great opportunity for insurance runs after Kayla Haywood drew Iona's third free pass of the inning to load the bases, but Hill struck out Emma Capuano to strand three runners.
Zazzaro closed things out, striking out the final two batters on a combined six pitches in a 1-2-3 seventh inning. The victory snapped a four-game skid for the Gaels.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Sheeran and Taylor were responsible for driving in Iona's two runs today. Taylor's second hit of the day accounted for her second extra-base hit and run batted in of the season.
- Ritchey registered her first multi-hit game of the season and third of her career.
- Rieb made her fourth start of the season, allowing one earned run on five hits across four innings of work.
- Lowry worked one scoreless inning of relief, giving way to Zazzaro in the sixth inning with nobody out. Zazzaro inherited two runners and stranded both, recording two strikeouts in the frame.
- Zazzaro earned the win, her third of the season, after pitching two scoreless innings out of the pen. She struck out four of the seven batters she faced.
- Iona topped Columbia for the second straight time overall and the first time on the road since March 27, 2010.
UP NEXT
Iona heads to Binghamton for a three-game series beginning this Saturday, March 26. The Gaels and the Bearcats play a doubleheader on Saturday and wrap up the series on Sunday, March 27. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN3.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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ICGaels: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube (E-Mail Updates)
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