NEW ROCHELLE, NY — The Iona College softball team swept the final day of the Elon Tournament with an emphatic 15-1 beating of Wagner and a dramatic 5-4 survival against Saint Joseph’s. The team combined for nine extra base hits over the two games while freshman Marnie Skinner and sophomore Alana Evans through gems from the circle.
GAME ONE: Iona 15, Wagner 1 (5 Innings)
Eight different Gael garnered hits as the Maroon & Gold smashed six extra base hits including three homeruns. Junior catcher Tori Danner bashed her fourth dinger of the season as part of a phenomenal game at the plate where she drove in six total runs and scored two runs. Sophomore second basemen Hailey Thompson and freshman designated player Jasmine Temple each rocketed their first collegiate career homeruns.
Senior Kristen Turner went a perfect 4-for-4 with one double and three RBI. Senior leftfidler Ashlyn Morris reached based four times with three hits and one walk. Junior right fielder Courtney Miller had two hits.
Senior Brianna Tredway led Wagner with two doubles. Freshman Zoe Bender scored the lone Seahawks run via an RBI hit from sophomore Karen Prihoda.
On the rubber Skinner pitched five innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out five.
It is a season-high thus far in runs scored, hits, RBI and victory margin.
GAME TWO: Iona 5, Saint Joseph’s 4
Evans earned her second win of the season going seven full innings while striking out seven and stranding eight Hawk runners. The second-year pitcher got in some trouble in the third inning walking the first three batters she faced. Danner hosed down one Saint Joseph runner who was attempting to steal to earn an out, but the threat didn’t wain fully as freshman Sarah Ostaszewski arched a sacrifice fly scoring rookie Molly Kapala.
Iona knotted the game at one in the fifth inning courtesy of a Saint Joseph’s committing a throwing error. Thompson singled through the left side, and Miller was allowed to score from second on the miscue.
Come the top of the seventh inning, the Maroon & Gold struck forture with two outs. With Thompson and Miller on second and third, freshman Taylor Brown earned a walk to make the bases loaded. Senior captain Katie Newton stepped up and singled to the opposite field to drive in two and then Turner bombed a double to left field to give the Gaels a 5-1 lead.
Saint Joseph’s attempted a comeback in the home-half of the seventh. Iona exhaled fully when Turner putout the final out, stranding the tying and winning run in scoring position.
Newton finished the game with two hits, one runs scoring, and two runs batted in. Turner connected on three hits, two of which were doubles, and drive in a pair. The lone other hit came from Thompson in the 10th spot in the order.
Iona has won five of six and will travel with its momentum to the West Coast for the UC Riverside Tournament beginning on Saturday, Mar. 4
