NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University Softball team capped its 2026 home schedule on Sunday afternoon with a 7-2 victory over Saint Peter's. The Gaels jumped out in front early to earn the weekend sweep over the Peacocks on Senior Day at Donald E. Walsh Field.
 
Prior to the contest, the Maroon & Gold recognized graduating seniors Brooke Acker, Brianna Fischer, Hailey Guerrero, Alivia Lichtner and Hannah Werth for senior day.
 
Lichtner set a new program record for career stolen bases with 38 in her career after a sixth inning steal. Guerrero registered an inside the park home run. Acker tallied two doubles and two runs batted in and Fischer also drove in a run for the Maroon & Gold.

GAME SUMMARY

The Peacocks opened the first inning with a one-out single before junior Allison Hoppe ended the frame with back-to-back strikeouts.
 
Iona got started offensively in the bottom of the first as rookie Rachael Morales recorded a single to left center. Lichtner was then hit by a pitch before both runners advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Fischer drove in the first run on a sacrifice fly to left field. Sophomore Addie Smith then stepped to the dish and went first pitch hunting and lined a triple off the center field wall for the 3-0 lead.
 
The Gaels got one more run in the bottom of the third after Smith lined a two-out single up the middle. Acker followed suit by first pitch swinging and lined an RBI double to center field for the 4-0 advantage.
 
Hoppe was in control from there retiring the Peacocks in order the next four innings while recording three strikeouts.
 
Iona added two more runs to its tally in the fifth inning as Guerrero smoked a deep fly ball off the top of the centerfield wall and sprinted around the basepath for the inside the park home run, her seventh home run of the season. The inning continued as Fischer reached on a single up the middle. After a groundout, Acker tallied her second double of the day with an RBI double to right center for the 6-0 lead.
 
Saint Peter's finally countered in the top of the sixth with two runs on three hits to make it a 6-2 ball game.
 
The Gaels punched back in the bottom half of the frame as Lichtner worked a two-out walk then swiped her program record setting steal. Sophomore Sara Piña drove in the final run on a line drive RBI single to right center to push the lead back up to five.
 
Saint Peter's looked for a late rally with a two-out single in the seventh but Hoppe shut the door with a strikeout looking to seal the 7-2 victory. She finished the day with six strikeouts and scattered five hits in her eighth win of the season. 

UP NEXT

The Gaels hit the road for the final week of the regular season with a five-game docket. First up is a trip to Seton Hall on Tuesday, April 28 for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.