NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona University baseball team faced off against the Manhattan Jaspers in the season finale. In a back-and-forth battle, the Gaels rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to walk off Manhattan on Senior Day and secure an 8-7 victory.
GAME SUMMARY
In the high-scoring battle, the scoring began early as the Jaspers plated three runs with one out. The runs came on an RBI single up the middle, another RBI single to center field, and a sacrifice fly to give Manhattan an early 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the first, the Maroon & Gold responded immediately.
Senior Nickolas Mora became the first baserunner for the Gaels after drawing a walk and stealing second to quickly move into scoring position. Senior Anthony Zollo followed with a single to shortstop to advance Mora to third. After a flyout, senior Braize Mitchell stepped to the plate and doubled down the left field line, scoring both Mora and Zollo to cut the Jasper lead to 3-2.
In the bottom of the second, senior Chavis Conceicao, graduate student Jacob Veczko, and Bryce Elias all singled to load the bases for senior Damian Rodriguez. Rodriguez lifted a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Conceicao and advanced the runners. In the next at-bat, Mora grounded out to third base to score Veczko and give the Gaels a 4-3 lead heading into the third inning.
Senior Jackson Kossow ran into early trouble in the third after allowing a leadoff triple down the line, but he retired the next three batters to strand the runner at third and escape the inning unscathed. In the bottom of the fourth, the Maroon & Gold added another run after Veczko singled to left field and later scored on a single from Mora to extend the Gaels' lead to 5-3 heading into the fifth.
Manhattan answered in the top of the fifth as a run scored on a fielder's choice to make it 5-4. In the bottom half of the inning, senior Jordan Overton doubled to right center in the second at-bat of the frame to put a runner in scoring position. Overton later scored on a double to right center from senior Mitchell Murphy to push the Gaels' lead back to two runs.
The Jaspers responded again in the top of the sixth, scoring three runs on three hits. The runs came on an RBI single, a sacrifice fly, and an RBI double as Manhattan reclaimed a 7-6 advantage.
Graduate student Tyler Lender entered in the top of the seventh and allowed just two baserunners while keeping Manhattan scoreless over the final three innings, giving the Gaels a chance to rally in the ninth.
Rodriguez led off the bottom of the ninth with a single up the middle. Two batters later, Zollo reached on a fielder's choice with Rodriguez advancing to second. Overton then singled through the left side to put runners on first and second with two outs. Redshirt freshman Cole Silvia entered as a pinch runner for Overton. Silvia and Zollo both advanced on a wild pitch to move into scoring position.
Mitchell stepped to the plate with the count even at 1-1 and ripped a single down the left field line, scoring both runners and delivering a walk-off win for the Gaels on Senior Day as Iona defeated Manhattan 8-7.
team stats
- Iona pitchers were able to strand 13 batters on the base paths.
- Gael pitchers were able to strikeout nine Manhattan batters.
- Batters for the Maroon & Gold only reached base via the walk three times.
- On defense, the Maroon & Gold tallied 11 total assists.
- In the box, Iona has a .874 OPS.
NOTABLE NUGGETS
- All nine seniors who stepped up the plate recorded a hit.
- Lender pitched 3.0 innings allowing only two hits while striking out four.
- The entire Maroon & Gold starting lineup consisted of graduating student-athletes.
- Senior Bryce Elias went 2-4.
- Mora, Overton, Mitchell, Veczko all recorded multihit games.
