STATEN ISLAND, NY — The Iona University Softball team hit the road for the first time in 33 days with a trip down to Wagner college for a non-conference doubleheader. The Gaels came out firing with an 8-0 victory in game one before a late rally by the Seahawks for the 6-5 victory in game two.
 
Iona utilized home runs from seniors Hailey Guerrero, Brooke Acker and Alivia Lichtner in game one. Acker and Guerrero picked up their second home run of the season while Lichtner tallied her first. Sophomore Sara Piña combined for five hits between the two games. Acker led with four combined runs batted in.

GAME ONE: IONA 8, WAGNER 0 (6 inn.)

The Gaels got rolling in the first inning as Morales earned a leadoff walk then advanced to second via one-out groundout and a wild pitch with two outs. Acker drove in the first run of the game with an RBI single to left field.
 
Sophomore Addie Smith led off the second stanza with a hard line drive single off the pitcher. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Piña then stepped to the plate and roped the 2-2 pitch into left field for the RBI. The Gaels tacked on one more in the top of the fourth on leadoff home run from Guerrero.
 
Iona kept it rolling in fifth as Lichtner led off with a double. After a flyout, Acker went first pitch swinging and launched her second home run of the season over the left field wall for a 5-0 lead.
 
Wagner threatened in the bottom of the fifth with two runners on and one out, but Smith snagged the double play at first to end the inning.
 
The Gaels weren't done as Piña and senior Hannah Werth opened the sixth inning with back-to-back one out singles. Wagner got a flyout to right for out number two. Licthner then lined the 0-1 offering over the left field wall to bring the score to 8-0. Iona utilized a one-two-three sixth inning to seal the opening game 8-0.
 
Rookie Melissa Gordon pitched the first five innings, scattering six hits and a walk on the way to her fourth win of the season. Sophomore Marylou Piazza logged a perfect inning of relief with three straight groundouts.

GAME TWO: WAGNER 6, IONA 5

Iona carried momentum over to game two as Lichtner led things off with a one-out single in the first inning before stealing second base with two outs. Acker drove her in with an RBI single to center field for the early 1-0 lead.
 
The Gaels continued the strong day at the plate in the second as Smith reached on an error and Piña recorded a single up the middle. A sacrifice bunt followed before rookie Rachael Morales worked a walk. Wagner got the second out on a fielder's choice at the plate. Senior Brianna Fischer then stepped up and lined a two-RBI single to right field for the 3-0 advantage.
 
Wagner countered in the fifth with three hits and capitalized on an Iona error to score three runs and make it a one-run ballgame.
 
Iona scratched one run back in the fifth as Acker led off the inning with a double to right field. After a walk and two infield popouts, Piña delivered the RBI single to right center to make it a 5-3 game.
 
The Seahawks punched back in the bottom half of the inning with a one-out RBI single to left field and then a two-out bases loaded walk to knot the game up at 5-5.
 
Wagner continued the momentum in the bottom of the sixth with a lead-off triple followed by a one-out RBI single to right center to grab the lead. Iona was retired in order giving the home side the win to earn the doubleheader split.
 
Junior Allison Hoppe pitched the first four and a third innings for the Gaels. Junior Bella DiGiandomenico pitched the final inning and two thirds in relief.

UP NEXT

The Gaels continued the road trip with their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference away series beginning Saturday, March 28 at noon with the first ever matchup against Merrimack.