NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona College baseball team used a strong pitching effort and a timely offensive attack in a doubleheader sweep of Marist in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at City Park. Senior Kyle DiVico’s RBI base hit in the 10th inning led the Gaels to a 3-2 walk-off win in the opener. The Maroon & Gold’s two-run second inning was all the offense it would need in a 2-1 win in the night cap.
Iona came from behind in both ends. In the opener, Marist got on the board in the top of the second with the help of four straight hits to start the inning. The second run was scored on a fielder’s choice to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage.
An inning later, the Gaels evened the score. Rookie 3B Fran Kinsey led off with a base hit. With one out, freshman 2B Sean Breen struck a double into the right centerfield gap and Kinsey raced home for the first tally. With two down and two on, senior C Carmine Palummo found the hole between shortstop and third base to drive home Breen from second base to make the score 2-2.
Marist threatened in the fourth and sixth innings, leaving two runners on base but junior RHP Bill Maier set the Red Foxes aside without a run crossing the plate.
Sophomore RHP Kyle Ackley and senior RHP Alex Fishberg combined for three innings of scoreless relief. It was Fishberg who was credited with the win after the Gaels walked off in the 10th.
With one down, junior 1B Matt Byrne got on with a single to right field. Breen followed wiht a bace hit through the left side of the infield. After a pitching change and one out later, DiVico came to the plate for the first time as a pinch hitter. As Palummo’s hit found the whole through the left side, DiVico’s game hitter was placed in between the first and second baseman as Byrne raced around for the go-ahead run.
Kinsey, Breen and junior DH Lou Matarazzo had two hits apiece to lead the Gaels. Maier scattered nine hits and allowed two runs in seven innings in the no decision.
Much like the opener, the Gaels came from behind early to earn the win and all of the game’s runs were scored in the first three innings.
Marist manufactured its run in its first turn at bat. After a leadoff single, SS Andrew Rouse stole second following a strikeout of the next batter. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly three pitches later.
Iona scored both of its tallies in its half of the second inning. Senior LF Travis Mistretta drew an eight pitch walk after falling behind 0-2. On the third pitch he saw, Matarazzo sent one the other way beyond the reach of the Marist right fielder and raced around to third base with an RBI triple, his second of the year. Palummo smacked an 0-2 pitch to left field, deep enough to score Matarazzo on a sac fly to give the home team the lead for good.
Sophomore RHPs Joe DeRosa and Jared Finkel combined to allow four hits over seven innings in the win. DeRosa picked up the victory, pitching four innings allowing three hits and a run with a strikeout. Finkel allowed two baserunners over the final three innings to earn the save. He erased a leadoff infield single in his first inning of work by inducing a line drive double play. He stranded a man on second base with less than two outs in the sixth after the runner reached on his own throwing error.
Breen had two of Iona’s three hits in the win.
The two teams will complete the three-game series Sunday at City Park in a game that is tentatively slated for a later start than originally scheduled. First pitch is 3:30 pm due to the high winds forecast in the New Rochelle area.