LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The Iona College baseball team dropped a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doubleheader at Rider’s Sonny Pittaro Field. The Broncs topped the Gaels 7-0 in the opener and 3-1 in the night cap.
Rider did most of its damage in game one in the sixth and seventh innings scoring six of its seven runs.
Junior SS Vinny DeMaria was 2-for-4 to lead the Gaels. Senior 1B Jimmy Guiliano, junior LF Travis Mistretta, sophomore DH Alex Beckett and freshman CF Jon Budesa each recorded hits.
Sophomore RHP Bill Maier took the loss allowing five runs on six hits in six innings of work.
Rider’s Zach Mawson allowed two hits over six inning with six strikeouts and DH Eric Strano was 2-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and four RBI.
In game two, the Broncs did not record their first hit until the sixth inning of the contest, but led 2-1 with unearned runs scored in the first and fourth innings.
The Gaels cut the deficit in half in the fifth when Budesa raced around from first base following a misplayed ball by the Rider’s right fielder off the bat of Guiliano.
Budesa was 2-for-3 and PHs Zach Brown and Matt Flannery posted Iona’s other hits.
Junior RHP Mariano Rivera struck out seven, allowed one earned run and two hits with four walks in the six-inning complete game outing.
Rider’s Nick Margevicius allowed a run on two hits in 5.1 innings of work. First baseman Justin Thomas and RF Greg Fazio drove in two of the Broncs’ three runs.