VALHALLA, NY — The Iona University baseball team capitalized on a hot start to defeat Manhattan, 7-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Gaels set the tone with four runs in the first two innings to pace the way for the team's first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference win.
The Maroon & Gold outhit the Jaspers, 9-6 in the contest held at Westchester Community College. Senior
James Kemp paced the offense with two hits including a home run and a team-high four runs batted in. Junior
Andrelys Payamps fanned a career-high eight batters in the win.
GAME SUMMARY
Battling the rainy conditions early, freshman
Carter Groen got Iona going with a two-out double to left center. Pasquale followed that up with an RBI double to center field for the first run of the game. Kemp then stepped to the dish and hit a single to right field, a misplay by the Manhattan right fielder allowed the ball to get all the way to the wall. Kemp flew through the bases and slid home for the little league home run and the 2-0 lead.
Two-out quality at-bats continued in the second for the Gaels in the second as graduate student
Nick Forney earned a walk. Junior
Jayson Gonzalez then singled to right field as Forney advanced to third. Sophomore
Josiah Ragsdale drove in Forney with an RBI single to center field for the 4-0 lead.
Manhattan got on the board in the bottom of the frame on an RBI walk with two outs.
Sophomore
Anthony Zollo led off the fourth inning with a single to right field. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore
Nickolas Mora. Back-to-back walks to Forney and Gonzalez loaded the bases for the Gaels. Ragsdale hit a hard grounder that was misplayed at first base to score Zollo to push the score to 5-1.
The Jaspers tacked on a run in the bottom of the fifth inning after a leadoff triple and RBI single to lead off the inning. Iona was able to get a double play and Payamp's final strikeout of the day to end the frame.
Pasquale reached base in the top of the seventh inning on a hit by pitch. Kemp then launched a home run over the left field wall to give the Gaels a 7-2 lead.
Manhattan threatened with bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the frame. Senior
Alex Hunt escaped the inning with a big strikeout swinging.
Hunt along with juniors
Eric Gialloreto and
Matt Zguro held the Jaspers hitless in the final two innings to seal the win.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Kemp's seventh inning home run was the fifth of his career. He has posted two hits in back-to-back games and drove in a season-high four runs.
- Zollo registered his eighth multi-hit game of the season.
- Pasquale added his sixth multi-hit game with a pair of hits to go with two runs scored.
- Ragsdale drove in a pair of runs for his team leading seventh multi-RBI game on the year.
- Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 10 straight games.
- Payamps fanned a career-high eight batters in five innings of work for his third win of the season.
- Hunt posted a season-high four strikeouts in two and two third innings of relief.
UP NEXT
Both team's battle for the series win tomorrow in the finale. First pitch at Westchester Community College is slated for noon.