JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Iona University softball team ended the regular season splitting a doubleheader with Saint Peter's on Saturday. The Gaels took game one 10-2 before the Peacocks ended the day at Jaroschak Field with a 17-4 win.
Sophomore
Hailey Guerrero led the Maroon & Gold with a 4-for-6 day at the plate with two home runs and four runs batted in. Senior
Jamie Sheeran and freshman
MJ Nicholson also recorded home runs for the Gaels.
GAME ONE: IONA 10, SAINT PETER'S 2 (5 inn.)
The Gaels picked things right back up after yesterday's win as senior
Emma Capuano led off the first game with a walk and stolen base. She would come around to score on an RBI double to center field by Sheeran. An error at first base with two outs allowed Sheeran to score for the 2-0 advantage.
Iona tacked on two more runs home run in the second inning as Nicholson hit a one-out home run to center field. After a strikeout, Capuano earned her second walk of the game. Senior
Kayla Haywood stepped to the plate and lined an RBI double to left field for the 4-0 lead.
The Peacocks scratched one run back in the second after a leadoff double and RBI single to center field in the bottom half of the inning.
Guerrero recorded her second home run of the weekend on a one-out solo shot over the left field wall in the third inning.
Iona's offense continued in the fourth as Sheeran got the inning started with a one-out double to left field. Sophomore
Brooke Acker was hit by a pitch to put two runners on base. Guerrero followed with an RBI single to left field. Senior
Kaylin Flukey followed with a two-run double to right field for the 8-1 advantage.
Saint Peter's added another run in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out double.
Capuano got the Gaels started in the fifth with her third walk of the game. Haywood then recorded her second double down left field line to put runners at second and third. Sheeran drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field. Acker then earned a walk to continue the inning. Guerrero continued her stellar afternoon at the plate with an RBI single to left field to cap the scoring for the game.
Junior
Samantha Rieb retired the Peacocks in order in the bottom of the fifth to secure the win.
GAME TWO: SAINT PETER'S 17, IONA 4 (5 inn.)
Haywood kicked off game two with a one-out walk and stolen base for the Gaels in the first inning. Sheeran then launched a home run to deep center field for the 2-0 lead.
The Peacocks offense erupted in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of two-run home runs and an RBI double to take a 5-2 lead. Saint Peter's tacked on four runs on three hits in the second and eight runs on eight hits in the third to pull away with the win.
Iona capped the scoring with a two-out solo home run from Guerrero in the third and an RBI single by freshman
Leah Palmer in the fifth inning.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- Guerrero went 5-for-10 this weekend with three home runs and seven runs batted in.
- Sheeran was 7-for-10 at the dish in the series against the Peacocks with three home runs and seven runs batted in.
- Haywood and Sheeran both recorded two doubles in game one for the Gaels for their 10th and 15th doubles for the season.
- Rieb earned two wins in the circle this weekend, scattering four hits and two runs while striking out five batters.
UP NEXT
The Gaels end the regular season with a 14-10 mark in MAAC play securing the No. 5 seed in next week's MAAC Championship. Iona will match up with No. 4 seed, Canisius on Wednesday, May 8 at Gartland Field on the campus of Marist College.
