NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The Iona University baseball team used a four run fifth inning on their way to an 11-8 victory, at City Park.
Jim Pasquale led Iona with four RBI's including a home-run and triple to help secure Iona's seventh conference victory and 11th win overall.
Game Summary
Carl Kuentzel came out firing on the mound, retiring the first nine hitters he faced, adding three strikeouts during the process. Iona's offense gave Kuentzel some early run support after scoring four runs in their opening plate appearance.
Nick Forney got Iona on the board on an RBI double, marking the 100th career hit in his Maroon & Gold career. Pasquale followed up, launching a three-run homer to left field to give Iona a 4-0 lead.Â
Rider pulled within a run following a three-run fourth inning that was sparked by multiple RBI doubles. Scott Shaw drove in the first run and Brendan O'Donnell capped the inning with a two-run double, bringing the Broncs within 4-3. Rider had its best inning from the plate in the fifth after scoring five runs on five hits to take the lead. Jordan Erbe delivered the lead changing hit on a bases clearing double and following an RBI single Rider led 8-6 heading into the bottom half of the frame.
Iona quickly responded with a four-run fifth inning that gave the Gaels the lead for good. Consecutive RBI triples from Pasquale and
Josiah Ragsdale sparked the rally and
Anthony Febo delivered the go-ahead hit on an RBI single through the left side. Iona scored their fourth run of the inning on an errant throw from the pitcher in a failed pick-off attempt that gave Iona a 10-8 lead.
The bullpen tandem of
Alex Hunt,
Eric Gialloreto and
Michael Untracht pitched over three scoreless innings to keep Iona's lead intact. Hunt, who earned his second win of the season, picked up both of his strikeouts in the sixth and Gialloreto replaced Hunt in the seventh, picking up key outs in the seventh and eighth inning.
Iona tacked on a key insurance run in the eighth inning off an RBI single from
Will Jennings, scoring Febo on the play. Untracht went on to complete a six out save, the first save of the season, helping Iona secure the 11-8 victory from City Park.Â
Up Next
Iona and Rider will square off in the rubber match with first pitch schedule at noon tomorrow.
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