NEW ROCHELLE, NY – The Iona College baseball team earned its fourth straight win, holding on in a 10-9 slugfest with NYIT in non-conference action at City Park. All five freshmen in the game contributed to the win combining for five hits and seven innings on the mound.
The Gaels trailed 1-0 after the first half inning and answered with two in their frame and never trailed again.
A two-out, two-run single by junior C Carmine Palummo in the first and another by rookie CF Jon Budesa in the fifth were the big blows in the game. Iona scored three times in the fifth and sixth innings and took its largest lead of 10-5.
Budesa led the Gaels with three hits in six at bats. He drove in three runs, scored another and recorded a stolen base. Freshman 3B Seth Hoagland was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Palummo, junior LF Travis Mistretta and junior SS Vinny DeMaria each had two hits in the win. Palummo and junior RF Kyle DiVico also drove in two runs apiece.
On the mound, rookie RHP Patrick Ryan earned his first collegiate win, tossing the first 4.2 innings of the game. On a pitch count during the midweek contest, he handed the ball to junior RHP Max Bruckner in the fifth with a run in scoring position. Bruckner maintained the Gaels 4-2 lead by inducing a pop out to end the inning.
Rookie RHP Jared Finkel pulled a similar escape act in the sixth inning, stranding a runner on third base by recording the final out of the frame. He did not allow a hit in the seventh inning and tossed 1.1 scoreless relief.
Sophomore RHP Vinny Martin was impressive in the eighth. Inheriting a bases loaded, no-out situation, Martin fanned three of the four batters he faced allowing just one run to cross as the Gaels led 10-7 after eight innings.
Rookie RHP Kyle Ackley earned his first collegiate save pitching the ninth. Inheriting the tying run on first base and no outs, he threw three straight outs and stranded the equalizer on third in the Gaels 10-9 win.
Five different NYIT players posted multiple hits. RF Thomas Joannou and LF Frank Sanacore each had two RBI. RHP Michael Sinnott took the loss. He allowed six runs on seven hits with five walks in 4.1 innings of work.
Iona hits the road for three games in a key MAAC series at Niagara on Saturday and Sunday.