SPARTANBURG, SC - The Iona University softball team dropped a pair of games to Drexel and USC Upstate on opening day of the 2023 season.
GAME ONE: DREXEL 4, IONA 0
The Dragons scored three times in the top half of the first inning. Iona starter Samantha Rieb loaded the bases with one out, allowing a single to plate the first run of the contest. A fielder's choice forced out the lead runner at the plate for the second out, but a two-run single followed that made it 3-0 before a pop up ended the opening frame.
Iona was retired in order in its first trip to the plate. Kenadie Gonzalez was hit by a pitch, becoming Iona's first runner of the afternoon in the second inning, but was stranded to end the inning. The Gaels' first hit of the season came courtesy of Jessica Chilcott with two outs in the fourth inning. She stole second but was left in scoring position after Kaylin Flukey was retired.
Rieb settled in, pitching three straight clean innings before Drexel struck again in the fifth. The Maroon & Gold were set down in order in the fifth and sixth frames, but put two runners on in the seventh to make things interesting.
Jamie Sheeran reached on an error to start the inning, followed by a one-out Flukey single. The two runners were stranded, as Iona was unable to get the tying run to the plate or a run across.
GAME TWO: USC UPSTATE 10, IONA 0 (5 INN.)
Host USC Upstate entered play a perfect 8-0 on the season and got to Iona starter Kara Zazzaro in the bottom of the first after Iona stranded Alivia Lichtner in scoring position in the top half of the inning. The Spartans' first four hitters reached base on three hits and a walk, seeing two runners score before the first out of the frame. A two-out single plated another pair of runs to put the Gaels in an early 4-0 hole.
Lichtner, leading off the third inning, reached base for the second time of the game but again was left out on the basepaths. Sheeran registered Iona's second and final hit of the afternoon leading off the fourth frame, ending up doubled off on a Flukey liner to end the inning.
USC Upstate scored six more times in the bottom of the fourth, highlighted by a three-run homer that made it 8-0. Back-to-back run-scoring plays made it 10-0 and put the mercy rule in play for Iona as they stepped to the plate in the fifth. The Maroon & Gold were retired in order to end the fifth and fall victim to the Spartans in game two.
AROUND THE MAAC
- Rider lost to both Ohio and Duke in Creek, North Carolina.
- Siena defeated Valparaiso 8-4 in Madeira Beach, Florida.
- Marist plays Seattle U. and Hawaii in Honolulu, Hawaii later this evening.
UP NEXT
Iona returns to action tomorrow morning, facing Drexel again at 11:00 a.m. to begin the day. The Gaels will face Queens University at 1:00 p.m. to wrap up play on day two at the 2023 Wings Etc. Classic.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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