New Rochelle, NY- The Iona College softball team split a double header with MAAC opponent Niagara University this afternoon at Pinebrook Field. The Gaels took the first game, 7-2, before losing, 4-3, in game two. Iona is now 10-21 on the year and 3-7 in MAAC play. The Purple Eagles improve are 7-21 and 6-6 in the conference.
Niagara jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning on and RBI single by third baseman Lisa Hess. The Gaels stormed back in the third inning to score five runs. Freshman Christine Benhabib (Bronx, NY) brought home a run on a successful suicide squeeze play to get the Gaels on the board. The next batter, Liz Hammel (Frederick, MD), cleared the bases with a two-run single to give the Gaels a 3-1 lead. Back-to-back RBI doubles by Alicia Lanzieri (Ansonia, CT) and Amy Burdette (Frederick, MD) rounded out the scoring in the inning. Iona tacked on two more in the fifth inning on a bases loaded single by Danielle Grasso (Trumbull, CT). Niagara first baseman Ashleigh Barber doubled home a run in the top of the inning to round out the scoring.
Burdette and Kate Giella (Hawthorne, NJ) combined for seven innings allowing seven hits, striking out three batters and walking none. Burdette picked up her fifth win of the year while Giella earned her second save. Grasso, Benhabib, and Lanzieri each had two hits in the game to lead the Gaels offensively.
In the nightcap, Niagara stormed back for four runs in the top of the sixth to earn a 4-3 win. Iona struck first in the second inning on a Benhabib double that scored Aviva Jorstad (Kirkland, WA). Benhabib then stole second and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. Amanda Pucci singled home a run in the third inning as the Gaels took a 3-0 lead. Teagan Bennett relieved starter Kristina Killian and struck out the next three batters to get out of a bases loaded jam. In the sixth, the Purple Eagles used five singles and an error to scratch across four runs. A one-out pinch-hit single by Kelly Honsberger proved to be the game winning RBI for Niagara. The Gaels threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but left fielder Lauren Dombrowski made a spectacular diving catch in the gap to end the game.
Burdette pitched 5.2 innings scattering five hits while allowing no runs in a no decision. Giella allowed all four runs in 1.1 innings of work. Benhabib was 2-for-2 in the game and was the only Gael player with multiple hits.
The Purple Eagles will return to action on Wednesday when they will face St. Bonaventure in a non-conference doubleheader. The games will be played at the Niagara University Softball Field and will begin at 3:00 p.m.
The Automated ScoreBook - NCAA Box Score
Niagara University at Iona College (Game 1)
Apr 28, 2003 at New Rochelle, NY (Pinebrook Field)
Niagara University 2 (6-21,5-6 MAAC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
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Angie Clarke ss.......... 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0
Shannon Mongalise 2b..... 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 3
Colleen Larsen 1b........ 4 0 1 1 0 0 7 1 0
Ashleigh Barber p........ 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1
Andrea p................ 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2
Jamie Horn cf............ 3 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Kelly Honsberger dh...... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Bradi Cochrane c......... 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0
Amanda Baluch rf......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Amy Dulski rf........... 3 0 1 0 0 0 4 1 1
Lisa Hess 3b............. 3 0 1 1 0 0 1 3 0
Lauren Dombrowski lf..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Totals................... 27 2 7 2 0 3 18 8 8
Iona College 7 (10-29,3-6 MAAC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Grasso, Danielle ss...... 3 1 2 2 1 0 0 3 0
Benhabib, Christine 3b... 3 1 2 1 0 0 0 1 0
Hammel, Liz 1b........... 4 1 1 2 0 1 11 1 0
Giella, Kate dh/p........ 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2
Landini, Lauren ph...... 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lanzieri, Alicia 2b...... 2 1 2 1 1 0 3 2 0
Burdette, Amy p/dh....... 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0
Pucci, Amanda c.......... 3 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
John, Lindsay lf......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1
Jorstad, Aviva cf........ 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 2
O'Shea, Suzan rf......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Totals................... 25 7 9 7 4 3 21 10 6
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Niagara University.. 010 000 1 - 2 7 3
Iona College........ 005 020 X - 7 9 0
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E - Hess 2, Dombrowski. DP - Purp. Eagles 1. LOB - Purp. Eagles 8, Gaels 6.
2B - Larsen, Lanzieri(7), Burdette(7), Jorstad(4). HBP - Mongalise 2,
Cochrane. SH - Honsberger, Benhabib(5), Burdette(3).
Niagara University IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Ashleigh Barber..... 2.2 6 5 5 1 3 14 17
Andrea.............. 3.1 3 2 0 3 0 11 14
Iona College IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Burdette, Amy....... 4.0 4 1 1 0 1 15 18
Giella, Kate........ 3.0 3 1 1 0 2 12 13
Win - Burdette (5-10). Loss - Barber (2-11). Save - Giella (2).
WP - Barber 2, Giella(3). HB - Giella, Burdette 2.
Umpires - Home:Frank Blauschild 1st:Ron Blaise
Start: Noon Time: 1:50 Attendance: 65
The Automated ScoreBook - NCAA Box Score
Niagara University at Iona College (Game 2)
Apr 28, 2003 at New Rochelle, NY (Pinebrook Field)
Niagara University 4 (7-21,6-6 MAAC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Amy Dulski rf............ 4 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1
Shannon Mongalise 2b..... 3 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 3
Colleen Larsen 1b........ 4 1 2 0 0 0 7 0 1
Kristina Killian p....... 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 1
Teagan Bennett p........ 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0
Jamie Horn cf............ 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Ashleigh Barber dh....... 3 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
Bradi Cochrane c......... 3 0 1 0 0 0 5 1 0
Angie Clarke ss.......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 2 3 1
Lisa Hess 3b............. 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Kelly Honsberger ph..... 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Lauren Dombrowski lf..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0
Totals................... 29 4 8 3 2 3 21 9 8
Iona College 3 (10-21,3-7 MAAC)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Grasso, Danielle ss...... 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 2
Benhabib, Christine 3b... 2 1 2 1 2 0 2 3 0
Hammel, Liz 1b........... 3 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 1
Giella, Kate dh/p........ 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Lanzieri, Alicia 2b...... 2 1 0 0 1 0 3 3 1
Burdette, Amy p/dh....... 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 0
Pucci, Amanda c.......... 3 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 0
John, Lindsay lf......... 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1
Jorstad, Aviva cf........ 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
O'Shea, Suzan rf/pr...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Totals................... 23 3 5 2 4 5 21 10 6
Score by Innings R H E
-----------------------------------------
Niagara University.. 000 004 0 - 4 8 2
Iona College........ 002 100 0 - 3 5 2
-----------------------------------------
E - Cochrane, Hess, Grasso(13), Lanzieri(9). DP - Gaels 1. LOB - Purp.
Eagles 8, Gaels 6. 2B - Benhabib(4), Giella(5). HBP - Horn. SH - Horn,
Grasso(2), Hammel(1), Burdette(4). SB - Benhabib(7).
Niagara University IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Kristina Killian.... 3.0 3 3 1 3 2 10 16
Teagan Bennett...... 4.0 2 0 0 1 3 13 14
Iona College IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Burdette, Amy....... 5.2 5 0 0 1 2 21 23
Giella, Kate........ 1.1 3 4 3 1 1 8 10
Win - Bennett (3-4). Loss - Giella (0-3). Save - None.
WP - Killian 2, Bennett, Burdette(9). HB - Burdette. PB - Pucci(5).
Umpires - Home:Ron Blaise 1st:Frank Blauschild
Start: 2:15 pm Time: 2:02 Attendance: 64
