Iona University Athletics

Game One

The Gaels got on the board early Saturday as senior Damian Rodriguez led off the game with a single to center and then stole second to quickly move into scoring position. He came home in the next at bat when redshirt sophomore Sean Stephenson singled to right center to drive in the first run for the Maroon and Gold. Stephenson then stole second, and after two consecutive walks, redshirt freshman Tyler Acevedo singled to right center to bring in two more runs and give the Gaels an early three run lead.

The Maroon and Gold offense went quiet over the next two innings. Graduate student Andrelys Payamps kept the Peacocks scoreless through the first two frames, but they broke through in the third. An RBI single followed by a two run home run tied the game at three by the end of the inning. The Peacocks' momentum did not last long, as Iona answered in the fourth.

A single, a hit by pitch, and a walk loaded the bases for Stephenson, who doubled to center to drive in all three runs and restore a three run lead in the top of the fourth. Payamps settled back in during the fourth and fifth innings, holding the Peacocks scoreless.

In the top of the sixth, senior Braize Mitchell walked and moved to second on a ground out, then advanced to third on a Rodriguez single. Rodriguez stole second, putting runners on second and third for Stephenson, who lifted a fly ball to right that brought Mitchell home. After a pitching change, sophomore Malachi Costello doubled to left to score Rodriguez. Costello moved to third on a single by junior AJ Oden, and a throwing error allowed him to score, capping another three run inning and pushing the lead to 9 to 3.

The Gaels took advantage of defensive miscues again in the seventh, scoring four runs on three errors and just one hit to extend the lead to ten. Payamps exited in the bottom half, and the Peacocks chipped away with a bases loaded walk, a two RBI single, and another RBI single to cut the deficit to six.

Sophomore Kieran Kehoe led off the eighth with a single to right, and after a double by junior JC Frias, the Gaels had runners on second and third with one out. Following a fly out, senior Nickolas Mora delivered a two RBI single to extend the lead to eight. The bullpen shut down the Peacocks the rest of the way, and the Gaels went on to win game one 16 to 7, adding one more run in the ninth.

Game Two

The Gaels offense picked up right where it left off as Rodriguez walked to lead off the game and then stole second, allowing Stephenson to drive him in with a single. Costello was then hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second, and Oden laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners up. Kehoe stepped to the plate and drove in both runners to give the Gaels a 3-0 lead in the first inning.

In the top of the second, Mora singled and Rodriguez walked to put two runners on. A couple of fielding errors allowed Stephenson to reach base, Mora to score, and Rodriguez to advance to third. With two runners on, Costello stepped up and launched a home run to left center to extend the Gaels lead to seven.

Saint Peter's got on the board in the second with an RBI single. The Peacocks continued to chip away in the third with an RBI ground out and a two RBI single to cut the Gaels lead to four with six innings remaining.

In the top of the fourth, graduate student Chavis Conceicao led off with a single, and a sacrifice bunt moved him to second. Rodriguez followed with a single to right to put runners on the corners for Stephenson, who capitalized by doubling to left field to drive in both runners and push the lead to 9-3.

The Peacocks added another run in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single to cut the lead to five. Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth, but Saint Peter's scored twice in the seventh to trim the Gaels lead to three at 9-6. That would hold as the final score, as both teams were kept off the board the rest of the way.

TEAM STATS

• The Maroon & Gold offense totaled 26 hits on the day and 13 walks. 
• Iona sent over 35 batters to the plate in both games. 
• In game 1, every batter reached base. 
• In game 1, Iona struck out 11 batters. 

notable nuggets

• The Gaels 16 runs & 16 hits in game one is the most in a game this season. 
• Five stolen bases in game one is the most for the Gaels this season. 
• Stephenson's five RBIs in a game is tied for the most in a game this season
• Graduate student Tyler Lender has only allowed one hit in last five games. 
• Senior Sean Davis leads the MAAC in ERA with 2.16. 
• Payamps struck out seven in game 1. 

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