NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. — The Holy Cross baseball team bounced back for a Game 2 victory in a doubleheader split at Iona on Saturday, March 16.
GAME ONE
Iona 11, Holy Cross 3
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross (6-11)
Baillargeon (2-for-4, walk)
McElroy (1-for-2, three walks, run scored)
C. Bryant (double, run scored)
Iona (3-13)
Zollo (2-for-4, double, three RBI, two runs scored)
Ragsdale (2-for-3, two RBI)
Gray (2-for-4, double, two RBI, run scored)
THE DECISION:
W: Payamps (2-1)
L: Macchiarola (1-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- A pair of bases-loaded walks gave Holy Cross a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.
- That lead held until the fourth inning, when a two-run double tied up the game for the Gaels. Those were the first of seven unanswered runs for Iona, who led 7-2 by the sixth inning.
- Sophomore third baseman Cam Bryant scored a run in the top of the eighth, bringing the Crusaders within 7-3, before Iona responded in the bottom of the eighth with four more runs.
GAME TWO
Holy Cross 7, Iona 4
STATS LEADERS:
Holy Cross
A Bryant (W, 7.0 IP, two runs, one walk, nine strikeouts)
Connors (two-run home run, two walks, two runs scored)
McElroy (2-for-5, double, two RBI, run scored)
Cooney (2-for-4, run scored, RBI)
Iona
Groen (2-for-4, triple, two RBI, run scored)
Ragsdale (2-for-4, run scored)
Kemp (2-for-5, RBI, run scored)
THE DECISION:
W: A. Bryant (1-0)
L: Callanan (0-1)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Senior second baseman Jake McElroy singled to lead off the contest, and in the next at bat, freshman designated hitter Braden Connors hit a home run to give Holy Cross a 2-0 lead.
- Iona got two runs back in the bottom of the first after four straight singles.
- The score remained deadlocked until the top of the fifth. Freshman catcher Van Coughlin was hit by a pitch and freshman center fielder Gianni Royer reached on an error; both were driven home by a double down the left field line by McElroy.
- Back-to-back doubles from junior right fielder Connor Cooney and freshman left fielder John LaFleur tacked on another run for Holy Cross, making it a 5-2 game.
- Cooney's RBI single and a pinch-hit RBI single from senior Patrick Casserly pushed the advantage to 7-2 in the top of the eighth.
- An RBI triple and sac fly from Iona helped them cut within 7-4 in the bottom of the eighth, but the Gaels were unable to rally any further.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE:
- Connors hit his second home run of the season (and this week); he is one of five Crusaders with multiple home runs on the year.
DUE UP:
- Holy Cross will face Iona in the rubber match on Sunday, March 17.
- First pitch is scheduled for noon.
FOLLOW THE CRUSADERS
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