ANDOVER, MA — The Iona University Baseball team powered their way in a blowout win at Merrimack. Back-to-back first inning home runs from sophomore
Jordan Overton and graduate student
James Kemp and an RBI double from junior
Anthony Zollo saw Iona take an early 4-0 lead. Merrimack would respond however with two of their own in the bottom of the first. This lead would push to 9-2 after two innings, while senior
Andrelys Payamps continues to anchor down the Gaels rotation going six innings allowing two runs and striking out five. Five Gaels had multi hit games, while seniors
Joey Kasper and
Carl Kuentzel combined for three no hit innings out of the bullpen.
Game Summary
The Gaels got started early with junior Damian Rodriguez leading off with an infield single. He would advance on a ground out from freshman Sean Stephenson. The Gaels would then launch back-to-back blasts from Overton and Kemp to go up 3-0. Single season program record holder for hit by pitches, sophomore Jc Frias, extended his record getting plunked for the 18th time. Zollo would make them pay, knocking a double to drive in Frias. Merrimack would score two in the bottom of the first, their only runs of the game, before Iona would respond with five in the second. Senior Matt Wessels would lead off with a single, before two straight errors would load the bases. Overton would drive in two runs, while graduate student Jayson Gonzalez added one more on a single. Frias would hit a sacrifice fly and Gonzalez would score the final run of the inning on a passed ball. Payamps would recover with five straight 1-2-3 innings. He allowed a walk in the sixth, but the runner was thrown out stealing on the first pitch.
In the top of the seventh, Iona would add a run to their lead on three straight singles from Frias, Zollo and senior Anthony Febo driving in the run. Kasper would enter for Payamps and continue the streak retiring the side 1-2-3 for the sixth straight inning. The Gaels would add another two in the eighth inning with walks to Stephenson and Overton, while Kemp singled to load the bases. Gonzalez would be hit by a pitch and Frias would ground into a double play, but Iona went up 12-2. The 1-2-3 streak would end in the eighth as a one out walk was followed by two ground outs. The Maroon & Gold would get their final run with a sacrifice fly from Stephenson, while Kuentzel would retire the side in the ninth. Payamps took the win, his third of the season and Merrimack's Nichols was handed the loss. Iona earned win number ten in conference play and finds themselves in a battle for the final few postseason spots with four games to go.
TEAM STATS
- Iona won the strikeout battle, 8-6
- The Gaels out hit Merrimack 14-3
- The Warriors commit three errors
- Iona stole two bags, while Merrimack was caught on their lone attempt
notable nuggets
- This roster is approaching second all time in total home runs in Iona history, at 37 now, second is 40 while the record is 49.
- This team is now third all time with 92 doubles, first and second are 103 and 99.
- The Gaels are 2-1 when Payamps walks one or fewer batters.
- Frias, now hit by 18 pitches this season, continues to expand on his program record.
- Iona did not allow a hit outside the three in the first inning.
Up Next
Iona conclude their penultimate series at Merrimack tomorrow at 12:00 p.m.
