Game Summary

The Gaels started off hot with Rodriguez leading the game off with a home run, at the time his second of the season. Senior Eric Gialloreto responded with a 1-2-3 first inning, looking like it would be a quick game. The second inning saw Febo hit the first of his three home runs putting Iona up 2-0, but Canisius would respond with back-to-back doubles bringing the game to 2-1. The third inning again the Gaels would score. Overton led off with a double before back-to-back singles from graduate student James Kemp and freshman Sean Stephenson, the latter being an RBI single rebuilt the two run lead. The Golden Griffins again responded with a lead off home run themselves cutting the lead to one.

Febo would produce his second home run to lead off the fourth inning. Gialloreto would have a quick fourth to bring the red hot Iona bats back to the plate. The Gaels would load the bases in the fifth inning and junior Anthony Zollo would hit a sacrifice fly to score a run before Stephenson would steal home and put Iona up 6-2. Canisius would end up tying the game in the bottom of the inning though. Four runs on four hits and two hit by pitches leveled the game up at six apiece. Iona would finally have their first inning in which they failed to score and Canisius would take full advantage of this. Senior Joey Kasper entered for Gialloreto and he was only able to get two outs before giving up six runs on four hits and a walk. Junior Nick Chiaia would enter and stop the bleeding at 12-6 Golden Griffins.

The top of the seventh saw Iona have their best inning and retake the lead. An RBI double from graduate student Jayson Gonzalez kick-started the big inning in which Iona scored nine runs on nine hits. Zollo would reach on an error scoring a run bringing the game to 12-8. Iona would then hit six straight extra base hits starting with Febo's third home run of the game. A towering shot to left field, followed by senior Matt Wessel's smashing a double. Then the Maroon and Gold went back-to-back-to-back home runs from Rodriguez, Frias and Overton. Iona took a 14-12 lead and still were not done. The last extra base hit was from Kemp and he ripped a triple past the diving outfielder and would score on a single from Gonzalez. Senior Carl Kuentzel would enter for Chiaia and the Iona lead again was short lived. Following a lead off walk, Canisius would hit back-to-back home runs and tie it up at 15 all. Iona would get blanked in the eighth inning, before Canisius took a 16-15 lead off an RBI double in the bottom of the eighth.

Frias would lead off the ninth inning and reach on an error before Overton would ground into a crushing double play. Down to their final out, Kemp worked a walk before taking second on a wild pitch and Stephenson would keep the Gaels alive roping a double down the right field line. Junior Sean Davis would retire Canisius in order in the bottom of the ninth and to extras the game went. Iona failed to score in the top of the tenth and senior Matt Zguro was tasked with pitching the bottom half. After retiring the first two, a two out double put the winning run in scoring position before the runner would advance to third on a wild pitch. With the game on the line, Zguro would strike out the batter and send the ballgame to the eleventh inning. With two outs in the inning, Overton would redeem himself from the ninth inning double play, crushing a go ahead solo home run to dead center. Zguro Would strike out the first two in the bottom half of the inning, before a ground out would win the game for Iona. Zguro was awarded the win and Canisius's Ethan Hennessy the loss. The Gaels tied their win total from last year with the win today and look to fight back up the standings to try and reach the MAAC Championship for the first time since 2017.

TEAM STATS

• Iona led strikeouts with 18 compared to 13 for Canisius 
• It was a hit parade in Buffalo, the Gaels had 21 while the Golden Griffins had 20
• Six total errors in the game, four for Canisius and two for Iona
• The Maroon & Gold went 3-4 on stolen bases, while Canisius went 4-4

notable nuggets

• Today's game tied Ohio University and Morehead State's record of most home runs in a Division 1 game this season.
• The Gaels tied with Oregon State, Davidson, Ohio and California for third most home runs by a single team in a game this season.
• Iona beat their previous record of seven home runs, vs Coppin State on 2/28/04, for most home runs in a game in the 21st century.
• Febo's three home runs are second most ever in a game, Robert Villanova had four in the game against Coppin State.
• Febo, Overton, and Rodriguez all produced multi home run games, last multi home run game came from Josiah Ragsdale last year.
• Prior to today's win, the Gaels lost 11 straight games against Canisius in Buffalo, this is their first win since 5/4/2012.
• Kuentzel now has 97 career strikeouts with his two today.

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