Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 New Rochelle, N.Y. (April 3, 2023)—Mount St. Mary's split a pair of extra-inning Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games at Iona on Monday afternoon.  After falling to the Gaels, 3-2, in nine innings in the opening game, Vanessa Martin's three-run homer in the top of the eighth sparked the Mount to an 8-4 victory in game two.  The Mount is 13-3 over its past 16 games to move to 16-13 overall and 3-1 in the MAAC this season.

GAME 2:  MOUNT ST. MARY'S 8, IONA 4 (8 innings)
Vanessa Martin belted a three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning to sparked Mount St. Mary's to an 8-4 win over Iona in the second game of the doubleheader.  Martin went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBI in the win while Kaia Bonshock added three hits.

The Mountaineers took the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning.  Kaia Bonshock singled to open the inning and Maggie Kane followed with a bunt base hit.  Vanessa Martin brought home the first run with an RBI single, and a double steal put runners on second and third for Tori Bowles, who lofted a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

The Gaels responded with a three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead.  Jessica Chilcott's double brought home the first run, and Chilcott scored on a Kaylin Flukey two-out base hit to tie the score.  Kenadie Gonzalez then hit a ground rule double to plate Flukey with the go-ahead run.

The Mount evened the score with a run in the top of the fourth inning.  Martin drew a two-out walk, and came around to score from first on a Bowles double to tie the score at 3-3.  In the bottom of the inning, Iona had runners on second and third with one out, but got out of the jam when Martin threw out the runner at the plate trying to score on a sacrifice fly.

Iona got the tying run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Hannah Werth hit a two-out solo home run to make it 4-4.

In the top of the eighth, Bonshock opened the inning by reaching second base on an error by the center fielder and Kane followed with a base hit to right to put runners on the corners.  Martin them came through with a three-run homer to left to give the Mount a 7-4 advantage. Tori Bowles singled and pinch runner Erin Krizmanich moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Krizmanich came home to make it 8-4 on a Mariah Godde base hit.

Olivia Murphy started in the circle for the Mount, allowing three runs in 2.2 innings.  Amaya Bowman picked up the win in relief, allowing just one run in 4.1 innings to improve to 3-0 on the season.  Elizabeth King closed out the game with a scoreless eighth inning.

GAME 1:  IONA 3, MOUNT ST. MARY'S 2 (9 innings)

In the opening game, Iona rallied from a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win in nine innings.  Kaia Bonshock went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Mount offense.

Mount St. Mary's took the early lead with a run in the top of the first inning.  Abigayle Perry was hit by a pitch with one out, and stole second to move into scoring position.  Hannah Gartrell drew a two-out walk to put runners on first and second for Bonshock, who came through with a single up the middle to plate Perry for a 1-0 advantage.

The Mount added a run in the top of the fifth to make it 2-0.  Mariah Godde doubled down the right field line, and scored when Perry singled through the left side.

Mount starting pitcher Avery Neuhart cruised through the first five innings before running into trouble in the sixth.  Jessica Chilcott singled with one out, and Jamie Sheeran followed with an RBI double to slice the Mount's lead in half.  After a groundout moved the runner to third, Brianna Bailey tied the game with a two-out RBI single.  Kenadie Gonzalez then reached on a single to put runners on first and second with the Mount turning Maddie Coleman in relief of Neuhart.  Coleman got the final out on a fly ball to left.

Each team had the potential winning run on second with two outs in the seventh, but could not score.  Both teams went down in order in the eighth.  The Mount's Tori Bowles had a two-out single in the ninth, but Iona pitcher Tara Zazzaro ended the inning with her 16^th strikeout of the game.

In the bottom of the ninth, Gonzalez walked to lead off the inning, and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  Hannah Werth looped a ball down the left field line that fell in for a double to score Gonzalez with the winning run.

Neuhart allowed two earned runs in 5.2 innings of work while Coleman took the loss, allowing one run in 2.2 innings.  Bonshock went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Mount in the game.
Iona's two runs in the bottom of the sixth snapped the Mount's scoreless innings streak at 32, dating back to the Mount's 3-2 win over Coppin State on March 28.

UP NEXT:  The Mount returns home to face Cornell tomorrow for a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. at Our Lady of the Meadows Field on campus.