QUEENS, NY — The Iona University Softball team capped its eight-game road swing with a 6-1 setback to St. John's on Wednesday afternoon. The Red Storm broke a tie ballgame at Red Storm Field with a three-run fourth inning to split the season series against the Gaels.
Sophomore
Sara Piña led the Maroon & Gold offense with three hits and a run scored. Sophomore
Addie Smith drove in the lone run on a first-inning RBI triple.
GAME SUMMARY
The Gaels got started in the opening frame as Piña lined the sixth pitch of her two out at-bat to right field. Smith followed that up in the next at-bat with a triple to right field to give Iona the early 1-0 lead. That's all Iona would get as the Red Storm got an inning ending strikeout.
St. John's countered in the bottom half of the inning with back-to-back one-out singles before Iona grabbed the second out on a lineout. The Red Storm knotted up the score at 1-1 on an RBI double while the Gaels executed a perfect relay to get the runner from first out at the plate.
Iona went quite at the plate the next three innings, stranding a runner on base in each frame as senior
Brooke Acker recorded a single in the second, Piña had a two-out double in the third and senior
Hailey Guerrero earned a one-out walk in the fourth.
The Red Storm broke the tie ballgame in the bottom of the fourth utilizing three hits, a walk and hit by pitch along with an Iona miscue to take a 4-1 advantage. St. John's capped the scoring with a two-out home run and RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.
Iona was held to just one hit the final three innings at the plate as Piña tallied a leadoff single in the sixth inning as the Red Storm held on to earn the season series split between both teams.
Junior
Bella DiGiandomenico pitched the first three innings. Sophomore
Marylou Piazza and rookie
Melissa Gordon made relief appearances in the circle for the Gaels.
UP NEXT
The Gaels return to Donald E. Walsh Field for the final home weekend of the season. Iona will welcome Saint Peter's for a three-game set that has been moved up to Friday, April 24 with a doubleheader beginning at noon. The Gaels will hold Senior Day on Saturday, April 25 prior to the noon finale.