NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona College Baseball team earned its second straight win after defeating Quinnipiac 6-1, on Saturday Afternoon at City Park. The Gaels never looked back after scoring five-runs in the opening inning and
Drew Helmstetter picked up the win, throwing eight shutout innings on the mound en route to the home victory.
GAME SUMMARY
The Gaels offense had a dream start with the first five batters reaching base, beginning with
Nick Carnevale's lead off single. After Carnevale took second,
Nick Forney brought him home with an RBI single up the middle for the game's first run.
Will Jennings kept the line moving with a single of his own, setting up
Jake Field's RBI single up the middle that scored Forney from second. With two runners still on,
Jim Kemp on a 3-2 count, lined a two-run RBI single to left field. The final run of the inning came on an infield RBI single from yesterday's hero,
Matt Wessels who drove in Polinsky to extend the lead to 5-0 after one inning of play.
The Gaels offense stalled there until the 8th, but Helmstetter did his part to protect the lead given. Helmstetter retired Quinnipiac in order in the second and despite facing a bases-loaded jam in the third inning, the senior managed to get a fly-out and a strikeout to keep the Bobcats off the board.Â
Helmstetter continued to stay dialed in, facing the minimum in the fourth and followed that up with working around a one-out walk, getting two straight groundouts. Two of the lefty's four strikeouts came in the 6th after surrendering a leadoff single to start the inning. Helmstetter got the next batter to strikeout and after a fielder's choice advanced the runner to second, Helmstetter stranded the runner, picking up an inning ending strikeout.
The toughest task for Helmstetter came in the 8th inning when he faced runners on the corners and nobody out. Over 100 pitches already, the senior settled in getting a fly-out for the first out followed by a clutch strikeout and with two-outs, Jennings made the play of the game, making a nice snag out in right field to keep Quinnipiac off the board through eight innings.
Looking to add some insurance, Carnevale lined a single the other way to put runners on first and second for the Gaels leading to Jennings who provided Iona some breathing room with an RBI single to center field, extending the lead to 6-0.Â
Working around two hits and a couple walks,
Gavin Bates closed out the victory for Iona with three strikeouts in the frame. After walking in a run, the Bobcats had the bases-loaded but Bates barred down, getting two straight strikeouts to secure the 6-1 victory and clinch the series win for the Gaels.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Â Iona clinches its first series win since the end of the 2019 season, when the Gaels swept Saint Peter's and they've now won two straight games for the first time since the '21 season against Siena.
- Iona's five runs in the first inning is the most runs the Gaels have scored in an inning this year and all 6 runs today came via an RBI single.
- Helmstetter picks up his second career-win and first since his freshman campaign in 2019. His 8 shutout innings mark the longest outing of his career and between Drew and Blake Helmstetter, Iona starting pitching has yet to allow a run in 17 innings this series.
- Hitters 2-4 in the lineup: Forney, Jennings, and Field all picked up RBI's in the victory as Field is now tied for most RBI's on the club with 13.
- Carnevale stole his team leading 12th base of the season which ranks him 3rd best in the MAAC.
UP NEXT
Iona will look to go for the sweep against Quinnipiac with the series finale beginning at 12:00 PM from City Park.
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