POUGHKEEPSIE, New York - The Marist softball team split their Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference home opening doubleheader with the Iona Gaels on Wednesday afternoon at Gartland Field.
 
The Red Foxes took game one despite trailing 3-0 early in the game. Meghan Davis tied the game at 3-3 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. Caroline Baratta then slammed a two-run walk-off blast in the 10^th to lift the Red Foxes to a 5-3 game one victory. Marist dropped the second game, 2-1.
 
 

Game One

Marist 5, Iona 3 (10 innings)
W: Pleasants (5-14) L: Rieb (3-4)

• The Gaels got out front to a 1-0 early as Jamie Sheeran hit a solo home run to left field in the first inning.
• Iona's Emma Capuano extended the Gaels' lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning with a solo home run. Miah McDonald got the Red Foxes out of a jam, catching a line drive at third base and throwing the runner out at first base to end the inning.
• In the top of the sixth inning, Iona's Jessica Chilcott homered to left-center field to give the Gaels a 3-0 lead. McDonald's spectacular defense at third base started a 5-4-3 double play and got Marist out of the inning.
• The Red Foxes' offense got going in the bottom of the sixth when Sam Freeland broke up Iona pitcher Kara Zazzaro's no-hitter with a leadoff single through the gap into left field. With two runners on and two outs, Caroline Baratta singled into center field, scoring Shea Walsh to cut the Iona lead down to 3-1.
• Alyssa Grupp started the bottom of the seventh inning with a leadoff walk. The next at-bat, Meghan Davis blasted a two-run home run into right-center field to tie the game 3-3.
• The Red Foxes escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 10th inning when Caroline Baratta got the force out at second base to end the inning.
• With two outs and one on in the bottom of the 10th inning, Baratta homered into deep right field to complete the comeback and give the Red Foxes a 5-3 victory.

 

Game Two

Iona 2, Marist 1
W: Rieb (4-4) L: Phippen (2-2) S: Zazzaro (1)

• The Gaels jumped out to a 2-0 early in the second inning when Morgan Ritchey hit a two-run home run into right field.
• Baratta got the Red Foxes out of a bases-loaded jam with two outs in the third inning as she started a 6-4 force out at second to end the inning.
• Marist managed to load the bases in the bottom of the fifth inning, but could not capitalize as the Gaels got out of the inning unscathed.
• The Red Foxes managed to get a run across the plate late in the seventh inning as Baratta scored on a wild pitch, but it wasn't enough as the Red Foxes fell 2-1.

 

Stats

• Baratta went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs in game one. In game two, Baratta went 1-for-3 and was the lone run for the Red Foxes.
• Meghan Davis went 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs in game one
• Kiley Myers pitched nine innings, allowing three runs while striking out seven in game one.
• Maddie Pleasants earned the win in game one, recording one strikeout with no hits or runs allowed in the 10^th inning. In game two, Pleasants went 3-for-3 with three singles.
• Calista Phippen pitched all seven innings for the Red Foxes in game two, allowing two runs and just three hits while striking out five against only two walks.
• Marist is now 15-21 overall and 3-3 in the MAAC. Iona is 14-15 overall and 4-2 in the MAAC.

 
 

Up Next

• The Red Foxes will remain at home and play the Monmouth Hawks in a doubleheader on Saturday.
• The first pitch is scheduled for noon.