RALEIGH, N.C.— The Iona University softball team kicked off the 2024 season with a split on day two of the Wolfpack Classic on Saturday. The Gaels fell to Appalachian State in the first game, 7-0 before earning a thrilling 12-9 walk-off win over UAlbany to end the day.

GAME ONE: APP STATE 7, IONA 0

The Mountaineers struck early with a three-run opening frame for the early lead. Iona looked to answer in the bottom half with a leadoff hit by pitch and a single from senior Kayla Haywood. Three straight outs followed to end the inning.

Two more runs crossed the plate in the top of the second for App State to push the lead to 5-0. The Mountaineers added runs in the fourth and seventh inning to finish their scoring.
 
Iona was held to five hits in the opening contest. Haywood led the Gaels with two hits while senior Emma Capuano, junior Brianna Bailey and freshman Leah Palmer all recorded a base knock.

GAME TWO: IONA 12, UALBANY 9

UAlbany jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning. Iona got a run back in the bottom of the second on a leadoff home run by freshman MJ Nicholson. The Gaels then added two more runs in the bottom of the third on RBI single to right field by Nicholson and an RBI single to left field from senior Kaylin Flukey to tie the game, 3-3.
 
The Great Danes regained the lead in the top of the fourth, recording three runs to jump ahead 6-3. Iona answered in the bottom half of the inning with a five-run stanza on five hits.

Sophomore Hailey Guerrero picked up two runs batted in with a single up the middle. Senior Jamie Sheeran then picked up an RBI single to right to tie things up. Junior Brianna Bailey add gave Iona the lead with a two-out RBI single up the middle. Freshman Madison Campeau roped a double down the left field line to put Iona out in front, 8-6.
 
UAlbany didn't back down, utilizing a three-run top of the fifth with one-out scoring on a double to center and then a two-run double to left field to take a 9-8 lead.
 
Iona punched back in the bottom half of the fifth as junior Destiny Nardello led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Haywood stepped up to the plate and lined a single up the middle to drive in Nardello and knot things up 9-9. Momentum halted for the Gaels as a double play and fly out ended the inning.
 
Junior Samantha Rieb entered the game in relief and held the Great Danes to two hits in the next two innings.
 
Iona worked two runners on in the final inning, that set up Flukey to connect on a laser shot over the wall in left center for the 12-9 lead.

UP NEXT

The Gaels conclude the opening weekend with two more games tomorrow. An immediate rematch against UAlbany at 9 a.m. followed by a matchup against Cleveland State immediately after.