NORTH ANDOVER, MA — The Iona University Softball team had a sensational day at the plate up at Martone-Mejail Field in route to a pair of 9-3 wins over Merrimack. The Maroon & Gold logged 24 hits on Saturday afternoon and batted .364 as a team for its first doubleheader sweep of the season.
 
Five Gaels registered multiple hits between the two games led by senior Brianna Fischer led with six hits and four runs batted in. Seniors Alivia Lichtner and Hailey Guerrero along with sophomore Sara Piña and rookie Rachael Morales all posted multiple hits.
 
The Gaels tallied four home runs as Guerrero, Fischer and Morales recorded game one blasts, and senior Brooke Acker posted a three-run shot in game two.

GAME ONE: IONA 9, MERRIMACK 3 (8 inn.)

Iona looked to strike first in the opening frame as Lichtner led off with a one-out single then stole second base. She advanced to third as Fischer picked up an infield single and then moved to second while the Warriors delayed throwing the ball back to the circle. Merrimack evaded trouble with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
 
The Warriors countered in the bottom half of the inning with a two-out RBI single to take the early lead. Iona answered in the next half inning with runners on the corners and two out. Morales recorded an RBI fielder's choice and Lichtner drove in an RBI single for the 2-1 favor.
 
Merrimack punched back after a one-out triple in the bottom of the second with an RBI ground out to knot the game back up 2-2.After a scoreless next three frames, the Warriors broke the tie on a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Iona was quick to respond in the next half inning as Fischer led off with a hit by pitch before stealing second and advancing to third on a ground out. Guerrero drove her in with a sacrifice fly.
 
Both teams had a look at the go-ahead run in the seventh as Iona was doubled up on a play at the plate. Merrimack had the go-ahead run at third with one out, but rookie Melissa Gordon recorded back-to-back groundouts to end the inning.
 
Headed into extras, Guerrero opened the inning with a solo blast to left center for her third home run of the season. After a flyout, sophomore Jovanna Donaruma singled to left field and stole second. Sophomore Addie Smith drove her in with a double down the right field line. Another flyout followed before Morales launched her first collegiate home run over the center field wall. Lichtner then lined a triple to right field and Fischer capped the scoring with her fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field.
 
The Warriors looked for one final rally in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out double to left field. Gordon sealed the win with her third strikeout of the game to close things out.
 
Iona recorded a season-high 13 hits in the game one win. Fischer and Lichtner led the way with three hits each. Piña added two hits. Morales drove in three runs while Guerrero and Fischer drove in a pair of runs.

GAME ONE: IONA 9, MERRIMACK 3

The Gaels got off to a hot start once again as Lichtner opened with a one-out double in the first inning. After Fischer reached on an error, Acker stepped to the plate and lined a three-run shot to left field for the early 3-0 lead.
 
Merrimack clawed one run back in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly. The Warriors looked to do more damage in the inning but junior Allison Hoppe recorded an inning ending ground out.
 
Iona countered in the second as senior Hannah Werth recorded a two-out walk then stole second. Morales then hit an RBI single to left field for the first run of the frame. Lichtner followed that up with an RBI double to left center. Fischer pushed the lead to 6-1 with an RBI single of her own. The Gaels continued to hit in the third as Guerrero opened with a bunt single and then proceeded to steal second base. Piña drove her in with a double to the gap in left center.
 
Merrimack threatened in the bottom of the third with a two-out three-run home run to chip into the deficit.
 
Iona added one more run in the fourth on another RBI single from Fischer. The scoring was capped in the fifth on an RBI ground out from rookie LeeAnn Downey.
 
Hoppe held the Warriors to just two hits over the final four innings of play to secure the win in the circle. She finished the day with seven strikeouts for her third win of the season.

The Gaels tallied 11 hits in game two as Fischer, Guerrero, Lichtner and Morales all posted multiple hits.

UP NEXT

The Gaels wrap up the weekend series against Merrimack looking for the series sweep tomorrow with a noon start from Martone-Mejail Field.