QUEENS, NY — The Iona University baseball team battled to the final out on Wednesday evening, falling 5-4 to Big East foe St. John's at Jack Kaiser Stadium.
Senior
James Kemp launched a first inning home run for the Maroon & Gold. Graduate student
Jim Pasquale and junior
Jayson Gonzalez both drove in a run. Sophomore
Josiah Ragsdale recorded a game-high two hits.
GAME SUMMARY
Ragsdale got the offense going in the opening frame by sending the 1-0 pitch deep to right center, bouncing off the wall for a triple. He would score on an RBI groundout to shortstop by Pasquale for the early lead. Kemp then stepped to the plate and launched a home run off the left field scoreboard for the 2-0 advantage.
Junior
Matt Wessels led off the third inning with a double to left field. He advanced to third on a one-out flyout to center before scoring on a passed ball for the three-run lead for the Gaels.
The Red Storm got on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning on a one-out RBI walk. Iona and sophomore
Joey Kasper escaped further trouble with an inning ending double play.
St. John's made it a one-run game in the fourth inning on a one-out sacrifice fly. The home team continued momentum in the fifth with a leadoff hit by pitch followed by a two-run home run to right field to take a 4-3 lead.
A first and third steal attempt in the sixth saw Iona nail the runner at second but the runner at third would score to push the Red Storm out in front 5-3.
Iona got a pair of runners on in the eighth as sophomore
Nickolas Mora and Wessels earned walks. Gonzalez went first pitch swinging with two outs and lined an RBI single to right center. The Gaels looked to tie things up with runners on second and third, but St. John's got a strikeout swinging to end the inning.
The Red Storm looked to tack on insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded before freshman
Bruce Wadiak got a strikeout swinging to close out the frame.
Iona got one runner on with two outs as Kemp reached base on a fielder's choice. Junior
Anthony Febo stepped to the dish and kept the inning alive with a ground rule double to left center. The Red Storm came out on top of an eight pitch at bat for a strikeout swinging to end the game.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Ragsdale produced his 20th multi-hit contest of the season. His first inning triple was his sixth of the season.
- Kemp's first inning home run was his fourth on the year and eighth of his career.
- Gonzalez drove in his team-leading 30th run batted in for the Maroon & Gold.
- Redshirt sophomore Tyler Lender and Wadiak produced hitless innings of relief to close out the game.
UP NEXT
The Gaels will continue the road swing this weekend for a non-conference series at Villanova beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 3.
