POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — The Iona University Softball team saw its 2026 campaign end on Sunday morning, falling to No. 1 Marist, 4-0 at Gartland Field. The Gaels making the program's first appearance in the title game since 2014, were outhit 10-3 by the now two-time defending champion Red Foxes.
Senior
Hailey Guerrero, sophomore
Addie Smith and rookie
Rachael Morales tallied the lone Iona hits. Guerrero, Morales and sophomore
Sara Piña represented the Maroon & Gold on the 2026 MAAC All-Tournament team.
GAME SUMMARY
Iona looked to strike first in the opening frame as Morales led off with an infield single. After a foul out and fly out, Smith tacked on the second hit of the frame with a single to right field. Marist escaped trouble with an inning ending strikeout.
The Red Foxes equaled Iona's first inning with a pair of singles in the bottom of the first but Junior
Allison Hoppe got the inning ending ground out.
It was a pitcher's duel from there as Hoppe and Marist's Ava Metzger held both high-powered offenses at bay the next two innings of play.
Marist broke the gridlocked game in the bottom of the fourth on a two-out RBI double to right field for the 1-0 advantage.
Iona tried to counter in the top half of the fifth as Guerrero led things off with an infield single before advancing to second on a ground out. The Red Foxes evaded trouble with a strikeout and fly out to left field to end the inning.
Marist added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth with a one-out two-run home run to center field and a two-out solo home run to right center to bring the score to 4-0.
Iona was retired in order the next two frames as the Red Foxes secured the league title on their home field for the second straight season.
Hoppe pitched the first five innings for the Maroon & Gold, scattering nine hits and a strikeout. Rookie
Melissa Gordon pitched one inning of relief, yielding just one hit and striking out one batter.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- In head coach Andy Russo's first season at the helm of the Maroon & Gold, the Gaels finished with a 27-26 mark and tied its program best with 18 conference wins. It is the second straight winning season for Iona and the 15th 20-plus win campaign in program history.
- Iona graduates six seniors in graduate student Kenadie Gonzalez along with seniors Brooke Acker, Brianna Fischer, Hailey Guerrero, Alivia Lichtner and Hannah Werth who helped lead guide the team to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2011-12
- Morales capped her stellar rookie campaign with All-Tournament Team honors after leading Iona with a .471 (8-for-17) batting average with five runs scored, three home runs and seven runs batted in.
- Piña, the 2026 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, had a sensational second conference tournament. She batted .389 (7-for-18) with a team-high five doubles.
- Guerrero capped her collegiate career with All-Tournament honors with a .412 (7-for-17) batting average, four runs scored, two home runs and three runs batted in. She ends her three-year career with the Gaels batting .300 with 131 hits, 26 doubles. Her 31 home runs rank fourth all-time in program history and her 87 RBI stands eighth all-time in the program record book.
- Gonzalez concluded her four-year tenure with the Maroon & Gold, totaling 37 hits, eight doubles, eight home runs and 29 runs batted in.
- Acker ends her four-year career with a .269 batting average with 133 hits, 10 home runs. She ranks second all-time in program history with 70 career walks, ranks tied for eighth with 34 doubles and her 82 runs batted in stands ninth all-time in the career record book at Iona.
- Lichtner concluded her four-year career as the program's all-time leader in stolen bases with 41. She totaled 104 career hits, 64 runs scored, seven home runs and 42 runs batted in. Her eight triples rank tied for second all-time in the career record book.
- Fischer joined the Maroon & Gold for her final two seasons, posting a .312 batting average with 99 hits, 57 runs scored, 23 doubles, five triples, 14 home runs and 62 runs batted in. Her 29 stolen bases rank fifth all-time in program history.
- Werth wrapped her four-year career with the Maroon & Gold with 110 hits, 71 runs scored, seven doubles, one home run and 28 runs batted in. Her 32 career stolen bases rank tied fourth all-time in program history and her 65 career walks stand fifth all-time in the Iona career record book.
