NEW ROCHELLE, NY – Iona College baseball graduate LHP Eddie Macaluso pitched a complete game shutout in the Gaels 5-0 win over Saint Peter’s in conference play at City Park. The Maroon & Gold bookended its offensive performance with runs in its first and final at bats to top the Peacocks at home.
Macaluso looked strong from the start, needing just 11 pitches to strikeout all three batters faced in the opening frame. The Gaels’ bats got off to an equally torrid start with sophomore 2B Matt Byrne leading off the game by scorching a triple into the right centerfield gap. Senior 1B Jimmy Guiliano was held to a ground-rule double after his line drive down the first base line found the batting practice turtle in the corner. Junior LF Travis Mistretta dropped a perfect bunt the other way for an infield single to put runners on first and third with no out. Three batters later, junior SS Vinny DeMaria picked up Iona’s second triple of the frame and drove in two runs when his line drive skipped just past the outstretched glove of the Saint Peter’s centerfielder. DeMaria scored after freshman DH Matt Flannery nestled a single in front of the Peacock left fielder for the Gaels’ fourth run.
Macaluso operated on cruise control for the remaining eight innings. He retired the first seven batters before a soft single to right by DH Vinny Maietta in the third inning. The only trouble he saw followed back-to-back one-out singles in the fourth. It was the only time a runner reached past first base. Macaluso escaped the inning by turning a come backer into a 1-6-3 double play. He also ended the seventh and eighth inning with double play balls.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, rookie CF Jon Budesa capped Iona’s scoring with a base hit through the right side to score DeMaria from second base.
Macaluso pitched his fifth career complete game and first career shutout with the win. With his first out recorded in the eighth inning, he became the first Iona pitcher to log 300 innings pitched. Macaluso also holds the school record with 50 games starts, seven more than former Gael hurler Marty Hand.
DeMaria was 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two runs scored and two RBI. Guiliano and Byrne also had two hits, all for extra bases. Budesa went 2-for-4.
Saint Peter’s LF Chris Hugg had two hits including an infield bunt single to lead off the seventh inning. RHP Anthony Assante took the loss, tossing the first three innings. RHP Mark Wilson pitched five innings of relief.
