FARMINGDALE, NY — The Iona University baseball team faced off against Hofstra University in a doubleheader at the Farmingdale State Baseball Complex in Farmingdale, NY. The Gaels fought hard in both games but came up short, losing 10-9 in extras in the opener and 3-1 in the afternoon game.
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added three RBIs in the game and five Gael pitchers combined for ten strikeouts. Game two, both teams used strong pitching performances, but ended with the Gaels being out dueled in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Game One
Iona kicked off game one of their doubleheader against Hofstra with an early offensive spark, but after a hard-fought back-and-forth battle, the Gaels fell short in a dramatic 13-inning showdown, losing on a walk-off single.
The Gaels wasted no time getting on the board in the first inning. Senior Carson Cahoy led off the game by reaching base, setting the stage for Kemp, who delivered an RBI single to give Iona a quick 1-0 advantage. However, Hofstra responded in the following innings.
Senior Eric Gialloreto took the mound for the Gaels, making his second start of the season. The outing was particularly special for the pitcher, as it marked his 83rd career appearance—setting a new program record previously held by Shawn Walsh. Gialloreto already held the Gaels' single-season appearance record, having taken the mound 33 times in 2024.
Iona reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth inning, taking advantage of a bases-loaded situation. Febo followed with a clutch two-RBI single to put the Gaels up 4-2. Hofstra chipped away with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but Febo struck again in the sixth, driving in another run with an RBI single.
The Gaels continued their offensive push later in the frame. Senior Matt Wessels executed a perfectly placed bunt in a suicide squeeze attempt, forcing an error that allowed another run to cross the plate. Junior Damian Rodriguez then came through with a well-placed infield hit, bringing in yet another run to extend Iona's lead to 7-3.
Hofstra responded with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the deficit to three. Then, in a pivotal seventh inning, the Pride launched a two-run homer followed by an RBI single, tying the game at 7-7 and sending the contest into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Iona's offense struck again. Freshman Sean Stephenson and Kemp both came through with RBI singles to regain the lead at 9-7. However, Hofstra refused to go down, answering with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning to even the score once more.
From there, the two teams remained locked in a tense battle, with neither side able to break through as the game stretched into the 13th inning. Finally, in the bottom of the 13th, Hofstra loaded the bases and ended the game with a walk-off single to left field. Senior Carl Kuentzel, who had delivered multiple strong innings in relief, was credited with the loss, his second of the season. Hofstra's Brayden Gregg picked up the win for the Pride.
Game Two
After a grueling extra-inning battle in game one, the Gaels quickly reset for the second half of their doubleheader against Hofstra. Senior pitcher Andrelys Payamps took the mound for his first appearance of the season and showed promise early on. Despite some early traffic on the bases, Payamps remained composed, working his way out of trouble with two key strikeouts before handing the ball over to freshman Justin Trinidad in the second inning.
Hofstra struck first, breaking the scoreless deadlock in the bottom of the third inning. A well-placed single into left field allowed the Pride to take a 1-0 lead, putting pressure on the Gaels' offense to respond.
Iona answered in the top of the fifth inning, using timely hitting to even the score. Senior Matt Wessels set the stage by reaching base, and freshman Sean Stephenson delivered in the clutch, ripping a double that brought Wessels home to tie the game at 1-1.
The game remained a tight battle heading into the sixth inning, but Hofstra managed to capitalize on a key scoring opportunity. With runners on base, the Pride hit a two-run single up the middle, taking a 3-1 lead.
Despite the setback, the Gaels didn't back down. In the top of the seventh, they strung together back-to-back singles to put the tying runs on base. However, Hofstra held strong, shutting down the rally.
Trinidad was credited with the loss in his relief appearance, while Hofstra's Brayden Gregg, fresh off his win in game one, secured his second victory of the day.
TEAM STATS
- The Gaels just lost the strikeout battle on the day, 18-16.
- Each team stole a base, with Iona caught stealing once.
notable nuggets
- Kemp had a career game in game one with his first four hit game.
- Six Gael hitters produced multi-hit games.
Up Next
The Gaels will look to bounce back as they prepare to face Fordham University on February 26th at 3:00 PM in the Bronx, NY.
