CONWAY, SC — The Iona University softball team split a pair of games on Saturday at the Chanticleer Showdown, besting Yale, 4-3 in extra innings before falling to tournament host, Coastal Carolina, 1-0 in the nightcap. Senior Emma Capuano drove in the winning run against the Bulldogs with a walk-off sacrifice fly in the ninth inning. 

GAME ONE: IONA 4, YALE 3 ( 9 inn.)

Iona opened the game with a single to right field by sophomore Hannah Werth. Capuano then stepped to the plate and roped a double to center field to drive in Werth for the 1-0 advantage.
 
The Bulldogs used timely two-out hitting in the top of the third with a double followed by an RBI single to left field to tie the game up at 1-1.
 
The Gaels responded in the bottom half of the inning as Capuano led off with a walk then stole second before advancing to third on a groundout. After a strikeout brought two-outs, sophomore Brooke Acker stepped to the plate and connected on a double to right field to give Iona back the lead, 2-1.
 
Yale used a one-run double to left field and a double steal to score two runs in the top of the sixth and take a 3-2 lead. Iona answered in the bottom half of the inning as Werth lined a two-out single to center field to tie the game 3-3.
 
Both offenses were held scoreless for the next two innings. Yale threatened with the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth trying to steal from third, but Iona was able to make the play at the plate to stop the threat.

Iona opened the bottom of the ninth inning with Werth advancing sophomore Alivia Lichtner to third lead off the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice bunt. Capuano came to the plate and lifted a fly ball to right field for the sacrifice fly and give Iona the 4-3 win.
 
Werth led Iona with two hits for the game out of the leadoff spot. Capuano drove in a pair of runs including the game winner. Sophomore Maddy Lowry picked up the win in the circle for the Gaels, holding Yale hitless over the final three innings and striking out three batters.

GAME TWO: COASTAL Carolina 1, IONA 0

The evening contest between the Gaels and Chanticleers was a pitcher's duel from the jump as both teams were held without a hit through the first four innings of play.
 
Senior Alyssa DeJianne surrendered six walks and struck out in the first four innings and her counterpart, Abby Henderson yielded just one walk to go with three batters for Coastal Carolina.
 
Senior Kaylin Flukey picked up the first hit of the game with two outs in the top of the fifth lining a double to the gap in right center.
 
Coastal recorded its first hit on a leadoff double in the bottom of the fifth. After a sac bunt advanced the runner to third, DeJianne picked up back-to-back fly outs to escape the inning.
 
Junior Brianna Bailey led off the top of the sixth with a single to right field. The Gaels looked to get some momentum going but the Chanticleers picked up back-to-back fielder's choices to nab the lead runner at second base. A flyout to center field concluded the inning for Iona.
 
Coastal opened the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single. The game's lone would come around to score on a throwing error to first allowed the runner to score all the way from first for the 1-0 lead. Iona was held to just one hit in its final opportunity in the top of the seventh to give the home team the one-run win. 

UP NEXT

The Gaels wrap up the weekend at the Chanticleer Showdown on Sunday morning. On the docket is a 9 a.m. contest against Michigan State.