NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University Softball team made its season debut at Donald E. Walsh Field on Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader against Rider. The Gaels took game one 5-4 to begin Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play before the Broncs evened the weekend series with a 5-1 win in game two.

Senior Hailey Guerrero led the Maroon & Gold with a 4-for-4 game one, recording three runs batted in including the walk-off RBI double. Senior Brooke Acker launched a two-run home run in game one. Junior Allison Hoppe tied her career-high with nine strikeouts in her first win of the season. Senior Brianna Fischer scored the lone Iona run in game two with a solo home run. 

GAME ONE: IONA 5, RIDER 4

Iona struck first in the opening game in the first contest in two weeks. Guerrero broke open the scoring with a two-out solo home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the first inning.
 
Rider countered in the top of the third with a two-out three run blast to jump ahead 3-1.
 
The Gaels offense stayed quiet until the bottom of the fourth when Guerrero led off the frame with an infield single. Acker then stepped to the dish and lined the 2-1 offering over the fence in right center.
 
Iona continued to tack on runs in the bottom of the fifth as sophomore Jovanna Donaruma led off the inning with a walk. She advanced to third on a double by Fischer before the Broncs grabbed the second out. Guerrero delivered an RBI double to jump out in front 4-3.
 
Rider looked for one final rally in the seventh as the leadoff batter reached on an error before advancing to third via a sacrifice bunt and ground out. The Broncs knotted the game up on an RBI double to left field.
 
The Gaels looked to strike back in the bottom of the seventh as rookie Rachael Morales reached on a one-out walk before advancing to second on a stolen base. After a lineout for out number two, it was Guerrero once again delivering for Iona. She lined the 3-1 pitch to center field for the walk-off double and 5-4 win.
 
Iona's two through five spot in the lineup tallied the team's eight hits. Guerrero and graduate student Kenadie Gonzalez posted multi-hit games. Hoppe registered nine strikeouts to three earned runs and four walks in her first win of the season.

GAME TWO: RIDER 5, IONA 1

Rider pounced in the opening half inning of game two with an RBI double and RBI groundout to jump ahead 2-0. Iona's offense stranded two runners in the first three innings before Acker delivered the team's first hit on a one-out double in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
The Broncs pulled away in the top of the sixth with a three-run frame on four hits to go up 5-0. Fischer got the Gaels on the scoreboard in the next half inning as she went first pitch hunting for her first home run of the season over the wall in left center.
 
Rider held Iona to just one more hit from there, a one-out single from senior Alivia Lichtner to secure the Saturday split.
 
Acker, Fischer, Lichtner and Donaruma registered Iona's four hits in game two. Junior Bella DiGiandomenico made the start in the circle and rookie Melissa Gordon pitched an inning and two thirds of relief. 

UP NEXT

The two teams conclude the weekend series and battle at noon for the series win tomorrow at Walsh Field.