HAMDEN, Conn. — The Iona University softball team late rally fell short on Sunday afternoon, dropping the series finale 2-1 to Quinnipiac. The setback snapped the Gaels five-game winning streak as the team moves to 7-2 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play.
The Maroon & Gold outhit Quinnipiac, 6-5 but left seven base runners stranded for the game. Senior
Jamie Sheeran led the Gaels with two hits in the finale.
GAME SUMMARY
Quinnipiac's offense jumped out early in the contest, loading up the bases to start the bottom of the first. The Gaels were able to make the force out at home for the first out of the inning. The home team scored one run in the frame on a sacrifice fly to center field for the 1-0 lead.
The Gaels looked to responded in the next half inning with runners on the corners with two outs but a caught stealing at second ended the frame.
The Bobcats utilized a two-out triple to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 2-0 advantage.
Iona got a pair of runners on in the top of the sixth with one out as senior
Kayla Haywood reached on a fielder's choice and sophomore
Brooke Acker was hit by a pitch. Sheeran stepped to the plate and lifted a single to left field to load the bases. Quinnipiac made the play at the plate from short stop for the second out of the inning. Senior
Kaylin Flukey connected on a line drive back towards the pitcher in the next at bat, the ball stayed in the infield after ricocheting off the pitcher's leg for the groundout to end the inning.
The Gaels attempted one final rally in the seventh as freshman
Leah Palmer reached on a one-out error. After a strikeout, senior
Emma Capuano extended the inning by also reaching on an error at third base. Haywood was next to bat and hit a ball to shortstop that was bobbled and trickled into the outfield. That allowed Palmer to score from second and get Iona on the scoreboard. With the tying run on third, Acker lifted a fly ball to the warning track in right field that was caught for the final out of the game.
UP NEXT
The Gaels return to Donald E. Walsh Field for a six-game homestand next week. First up is a series against Rider that will begin with a doubleheader at noon on Tuesday, April 9.
