NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University Softball team used a late rally to beat Big East foe, St. John's 5-4 on Wednesday afternoon. The Red Storm grabbed the lead in the top of the sixth at Walsh Field before the Gaels battled back with a two-run bottom half of the inning for the team's second straight win.
Rookie
Rachael Morales led the Maroon & Gold with a three-hit afternoon, her fourth three-hit game of the season and a season-high three runs batted in. Senior
Brianna Fischer recorded her fourth home run of the season on an inside the park home run. Senior
Brooke Acker drove in the go-ahead run on an RBI walk and sophomore Sara Piña posted a two-hit game.
GAME SUMMARY
The Red Storm loomed early with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the first. Junior
Allison Hoppe settled in with a strikeout swinging and a groundout to end the inning.
After just two hits in the first two frames by Morales in the first and fellow rookie
LeeAnn Downey in the second frame, Iona got on the scoreboard in the third. Fischer stepped to the plate and jumped on the 0-1 offering with a rocket to the gap in right center and ran all the way home for the inside the park home run and 1-0 lead.
Hoppe held St. John's hitless through the first three innings of play, issuing two walks while striking out two batters.
The Gaels offense struck again in the bottom of the fourth as sophomore
Addie Smith led off the frame with a one-out infield single. Piña followed with a double to right center. After a ground out back to the pitcher. Morales came up to bat and sniped the first pitch for a bases clearing double to left center for the 3-0 advantage.
St. John's chipped away at the deficit in the top of the fifth on a one-out RBI single up the middle. The Red Storm made it a one-run game after a rundown with runners on first and third with two-outs allowed the lead runner to score.
The visitors continued to storm back in the top half of the sixth with a two-out infield single followed by a first and third steal that saw an errant throw to take a 4-3 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, senior
Hannah Werth reached on a throwing error to extend the inning. She advanced to second on a wild pitch. Morales then won a seven-pitch at bat and lined an RBI single to right field to make it a tie ballgame. The inning continued as senior
Alivia Lichtner was hit by a pitch and Fischer earned a walk to load the bases. Acker worked an eight-pitch at bat for the RBI walk and 5-4 advantage.
The Red Storm looked for one final rally in the top of the seventh earning a two-out walk. Werth sealed the game for Iona with a diving catch in centerfield to seal the 5-4 victory.
Hoppe pitched the first three innings for the Maroon & Gold, issuing just two walks to go with a pair of strikeouts. Junior
Bella DiGiandomenico logged the next two innings of relief, scattering three hits and two runs with one strikeout. Rookie
Melissa Gordon pitched the final two innings, scattering three hits and one earned run to earn her third win of the season.
UP NEXT
After 11 consecutive games at home, Iona will embark on a six-game road trip. First up for the Gaels is a doubleheader at Wagner on Thursday, March 26 starting at 2 p.m. from Wagner Softball Field.
