JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Iona College softball team swept both ends of a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon on the road against Saint Peter’s. Sophomore 1B Kristen Turner connected on four home runs on the day, including three in the 18-0 game one victory. The Gaels took game two by the score of 13-6.
In the opener, Iona collected 18 runs on 18 hits, and hit five homers as a team. Sophomore DP Christine Costello and freshman RF Courtney Miller also hit home runs and both drove in four runs in the game. Junior C Brianna King and senior CF Allison Hand also collected multi-RBI efforts in the game.
The Gaels plated six runs in the first inning and never looked back. Turner connected on her first long ball of the day in the frame; a three-run shot to right field.
Iona scored two home runs in the second innings to take an 8-0 advantage, as junior 3B Sarah Schutz and King both collected RBI hits. The Maroon & Gold added its ninth run in the fourth when Hand drove in sophomore SS Katie Newton with an RBI single to left.
In the fifth inning, Iona scored nine runs with four home runs in the frame. Turner led off with her second of the day, before Miller connected on her first career homer, a three-run shot to left field. Later in the inning, Costello also connected on a three-run home run, her second of the year. Turner then hit a one out home run later in the inning to complete the long ball hat trick.
Costello pitched five shutout innings for the Gaels for her fourth win of the season, allowing just four hits and striking out seven.
In the finale of the day, sophomore LF Ashlyn Morris drove in a team-high three runs, while Hand, Turner and sophomore 2B Lauren Filardi all had two runs batted in. Filardi went a perfect 3-for-3 at the dish, and reached base a fourth time via walk.
Turner gave Iona a 2-0 lead in the top of the first with her fourth home run of the day. After the Peacocks trimmed the lead with a run in the bottom of the inning, the Gaels scored two more runs in the second inning. Filardi drove in Newton with a single to right field, before coming around on a double by Hand.
Iona pushed its lead to 8-2 in the top of the fourth. A two run single by Morris was bookend by RBIs from Hand and Schutz.
Leading 9-2, the Gaels plated three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Junior Allyne Clark drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, while Miller and Filardi pushed across run scoring hits.
After a four-run bottom of the sixth by Saint Peter’s cut the lead to six, Iona scored its final run of the day on an RBI by Newton.
Sophomore P Sarah McMahon (3-9) recorded the win, allowing six runs in 5.2 innings. Junior Jordan Courage pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief in the game.
The Gaels are back in action Wednesday, when they travel to St. John’s for a non-conference contest.