NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona University baseball team defeated Saint Peter's 14-12, in their home opener at City Park. The Gaels found themselves trailing 12-10 entering the eighth inning, but a clutch two-out RBI single from
Nick Forney proved to be the difference in the Gaels victory on Thursday afternoon.
Game Summary
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom half of the first inning,
Will Jennings lined a double down the right field line and
Jake Field followed up, crushing a home-run over the left field fence, putting Iona in front, 2-1. Iona added to their lead in the second inning on an RBI single from
Nick Forney scoring
Jayson Gonzalez on the play.
The Peacocks got themselves back in the game, scoring three runs in the third inning to retake the lead. With a run already in, Jeff Massicotte hit a two-run homer to put Saint Peter's in front 4-3. In the ensuing inning Saint Peter's got an RBI single from Michael Cardone but
Teo Torrado got the Gaels out of the frame with an inning ending strikeout.
The duo of Gonzalez and Forney sparked another run for the Gaels in the bottom half of the fourth. After reaching on a walk, Gonzalez stole second and on the next pitch, Forney drove him in on an RBI single.
With the offense continuing to be the storyline, Saint Peter's tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning, opening up a three run advantage. Massicotte singled to center field to drive in two runs but
Joey Kasper stopped the bleeding with an inning ending strikeout.
Trailing 7-4, Iona rallied in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game. A throwing error allowed
Luca Lotito to score and
Chris Mariani kept the rally alive with a single through the left side scoring
James Kemp.
Anthony Zollo followed up with a game-tying single to level the scoring through six innings of play.
Saint Peter's answered, putting up four runs in the seventh to reclaim the lead. After one run already came in to score, Massicotte followed up with a bases clearing double, giving the Peacocks their largest lead of the afternoon at 11-7.
But just like all afternoon Iona kept fighting back. Field led off the bottom half of the seventh launching a towering home-run to left center for his second homer of the game. Later in the inning with two runners on, Gonzalez scorched a two-run RBI triple down the right field line to bring Iona within a run through seven innings.
After Saint Peter's tacked on an insurance run, Iona trailed 12-10 entering the home half of the eighth inning. With two-outs in the inning, Field singled for his third hit of the day, and Lotito reached base after getting hit by a pitch, setting up the rally. Pasquale went the other way to score Field on an RBI single and Kemp kept the inning alive with a game-tying single to even up the score at 12-12. With runners on second and third Forney delivered a clutch go-ahead two run RBI single to put Iona in front for good.
Matt Zguro who earned the win in relief, closed out the ninth with two strikeouts and game ending fly-out to secure Iona's fifth victory of the season and first MAAC win.
Up Next
Iona and Saint Peter's will square off in game two of the series at 3:00 PM.
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