POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — The three-seed Iona University softball team saw its end on Thursday evening in a 9-7 decision to two-seed Fairfield in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship elimination game. The Maroon & Gold end the 2025 campaign with a 29-21 overall record, the most wins in a season since 2012. Iona also won a program best 18 conference games during the regular season.
In the final game, junior
Brianna Fischer led the Gaels with three hits, three runs batted in and her sixth home run of the season. Junior
Hailey Guerrero posted two hits including her 14
th home run of the season, a two-run shot in the second inning. Rookie
Sara Piña also recorded a multi-hit game for the Gaels.
GAME SUMMARY
The Stags utilized three hits with one out to load up the bases in the bottom of the first inning. Iona then got the lead runner out at the plate for the second out. A grand slam to left field gave the Stags an early 4-0 lead.
Iona immediately answered in the top of the second as Piña singled to right center to lead things off. Senior
Brianna Bailey then earned a walk to put a pair of runners on. After a flyout, sophomore
Madison Campeau singled to left field to load up the bases. Fischer got the Gaels on the scoreboard with a two-run single to right center. She then stole second base, and the errant throw allowed Campeau to score from third. Junior
Hannah Werth then singled to left field and a misplayed ball allowed Fischer to score and knot the score up at 4-4. Guerrero stepped to the plate and launched the 1-2 offering over the right field fence for the 6-4 lead.
The Gaels added another run in the top of the fourth inning as Fischer went first pitch hunting with one-out and smashed the ball over the center field wall for the 7-4 advantage.
Fairfield punched back in the bottom of the inning on a two-out two-run single through the right side to cut the deficit to one, 7-6. Sophomore
Allison Hoppe escaped the inning by getting a ground out to third base.
The Stags picked up a late rally in the sixth inning with a leadoff single and one-out single and hit by pitch loaded the bases. A sacrifice fly to right field knotted the score at 7-7. Fairfield then dropped down a bunt in front of the plate that allowed the go-ahead run to score. The designated home team added another run on an Iona error to take a 9-7 lead.
Down to its final out in the top of the seventh inning, junior
Brooke Acker recorded a walk, and Piña lined a single back to the pitcher to bring the go-ahead run to the plate. The Stags secured a game ending pop out for the 9-7 victory to advance in the MAAC Championship.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- The Gaels 29 wins were the most in a single season since a 35-win campaign in 2012. Iona also won a program best 18 conference games and tied the single-season home wins mark at 14 this season.
- Fischer posted her ninth multi-RBI game of the season. In her first campaign with the Gaels, Fischer batted .305 with 47 hits, 11 doubles and 6 home runs to go with 28 runs batted in.
- Guerrero had a sensational second season with the Gaels, leading the team with a .324 batting average, 48 hits, 28 walks and 14 home runs. With home run today, she tied the program's single season record of 41 runs scored set back in 1985 by Tina Pelaez. The home run also was the second most in a single season along with her 28 walks on the season.
- Piña tallied the 11th multi-hit game of her rookie campaign with the Maroon & Gold.
- Werth stole her 20th base of the season with a second inning swipe of third base. She is just the second Gael to reach 20 stolen bases in a single season. The program best is 25 set by Cindy Anthony back in 1983.
- Head Coach Carla Campagna's 29 wins in her first season were the second most in program history by a first-year coach in New Rochelle.
