(12 inn.)
Iona Gaels (17-23, 11-6 MAAC) – 1
Monmouth Hawks (31-15, 14-3 MAAC) – 2
 
Iona Gaels (18-23, 12-6 MAAC) – 6
Monmouth Hawks (31-16, 14-4 MAAC) – 4
 
WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ – After a 12-inning win in game one, the Monmouth University softball team was edged by Iona in game two on Friday, 6-4. Sophomore Alyssa Irons tossed all 19 innings in the doubleheader, striking out 18 batters and giving up just four earned runs. Sophomore Erika Coreth hit the game-winning RBI single in the opener seven innings after freshman Danielle Dominik tied it up with a sacrifice fly. In game two, freshman Lindsey Baron crushed her 11^th home run of the season to left field, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The Hawks went ahead 4-2 on RBI singles from juniors Amanda Hopeck, Deangie Jimenez, and Amber Wozniak, but the Gaels scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take the win. Monmouth's record now stands at 31-16 (14-4 MAAC) on the season, and the team will host Fairfield tomorrow for the last two regular season games of the season.
 
NOTES AND QUOTES
 
"Today was a great day of softball to prepare us for the upcoming MAAC Tournament. Iona is a solid team. They have great pitching and hitters. From start to finish, we were challenged. I thought we did a good job of adjusting in game one and figuring out a way to win. In game two, we had a little bit of a slow start. We came back and responded, but then they did the same, which is what good teams do. We'll get back to it tomorrow, celebrate our senior Jasmine Higa, and be ready for Fairfield." - Monmouth head coach Shannon Salsburg
 
-In game one, Iona got on the board first in the top of the third. With one out, the Gaels hit a double to left center. They later scored on a Monmouth fielding error.
-The Hawks tied it up in the bottom of the fifth. After Coreth was hit by a pitch, sophomore Morgan Maziarz came in to pinch run. She advanced to second on a passed ball, and was sent to third on a sacrifice bunt from Jimenez. Dominik came in to pinch hit, and hit a deep ball to right field for the sacrifice fly.
-Neither team scored until the bottom of the 12^th. Wozniak led off the frame with a triple to left field, and Coreth later brought her home with a single to center.
 
-In game two, Iona once again scored first. A lead-off single was followed by a double, putting runners on second and third with no outs. The Gaels used a two-RBI double to go ahead 2-0. Irons came in relief, and got out of the jam to strand two runners.
-Monmouth got one back in the bottom of the first, as Baron launched a solo home run to left.
-Rosado led off the bottom of the fourth with a standup double to right center. Maziarz came in to pinch run, and she was propelled home by an RBI single from Hopeck.
-Coreth singled with two outs, and Jimenez gave the Hawks the 3-2 lead with an RBI single to score Hopeck.
-The Hawks tacked on a run in the bottom of the fifth, as three straight singles from Tomasetti, Rosado, and Wozniak made it 4-2.
-The Gaels put runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the seventh. A two-RBI single tied the game at 4-4, and the next batter hit a two-run home run for the go-ahead runs.   
 
NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Baron's 11 home runs rank fourth in program history for a single season.
-In game one, Irons tossed 12 innings and gave up no earned runs with 13 strikeouts.
-Irons is now 25-10 on the season with a 1.45 ERA. In 30 starts, she has 28 complete games, including 11 shutouts. Irons has struck out 205 batters in 226.1 innings pitched. In MAAC play, she's 11-3 with a 1.09 ERA.
-Rosado is batting .475 (28-for-59) in MAAC play with 16 RBI.
-Monmouth is 36-5 in MAAC games over the last two years including the postseason.
-Tomasetti went 4-for-9 on the day, and is batting .390 in MAAC play. She has 97 career hits.
-The Hawks had four players with multi-hit games in the nightcap (Baron, Tomasetti, Rosado, Jimenez).
 
UP NEXT
Monmouth will host Fairfield on ESPN+ tomorrow in a rematch of last year's MAAC Championship. The doubleheader will begin at noon.