April 9, 2011

Final Stats Game 1
Final Stats Game 2

The Siena baseball team picked up its first MAAC win of the season with a 2-1 10-inning win in game one Saturday, but its rally in game two came up just short in a 4-3 setback at Iona.

Kyle Sumple got the start in game one and pitched into the eighth inning, allowing just two hits and one run while striking out a career-high 10. Sumple scattered seven walks, but kept the Iona bats off-balance. He was relieved by Ryan Poplawski, who earned the win with 2.2 innings of stellar relief. Poplawski sacrificed just two hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Tyler Bell walked to lead off the 10th for the Saints, was sacrificed to second by John Rooney, and scored what proved to be the winning run on Dan Paolini's well-placed, two-out single through the left side of the infield.

Poplawski worked around a one-out triple in the bottom of the 10th, getting a man to ground back to him, before striking out pinch hitter Dean Dignelli to end the game.

Ronney returned to the leadoff spot, and registered five hits on the day, including three in the opener, to lead the Siena offense.

Iona led 4-0 after five innings in the seven-inning nightcap, before Siena launched a furious rally that fell just short.

The Gaels scored once in the first, twice in the second and once in the fifth before Siena struck for three runs in the sixth to set up an exciting finish.

Paolini's 10th home run of the season, and Siena career-record-tying 47th of his career, came with one out and one on, making the score 4-3.

The Saints threatened in the seventh, but Bell was gunned down at third base to end the game after Rooney singled off the short stop's glove with two outs.

Joe Smith doubled home two runs in the second for Iona, and Justin Wiley went the distance on the hill allowing two earned runs and striking out six.

The two teams complete their three-game set Sunday at noon.