LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena Softball concluded its season-opening four-game weekend series with a win Saturday afternoon at Siena Softball Field. The Saints (1-3) fell to MAAC rival Iona (6-2), 5-2, in game one, before rallying to pick up an 8-4 victory in game two for their first win of the 2021 season.
The win cones as not only the first on the season, but also the first in the head coaching career of Casey Bump, who took over the program entering the 2020-21 season.
Game 1: Iona 5, Siena 2
Using momentum from Friday's doubleheader sweep to open the series, the Gaels worked behind pitcher Kara Zazzaro and pulled out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third, thanks to a Siena throwing error and an RBI single. The Saints responded in the home half of the inning with an RBI double from junior Yamila Evans that scored classmate Sabrina Vargas to make it a one-run affair.
With Siena senior Taylor Rhinehart in the circle for the home team, the game entered the sixth inning at a 2-1 score, only for Iona to add three more insurance runs over the next two frames. An RBI double in the top of the sixth preceded a pair of RBI singles in the visiting frame of the seventh. Siena sophomore Kaitlyn Davis singled to center field in the seventh to send home classmate Angelina Stile, but the Saints left a runner on base and could not rally any further.
Zazzaro improved to 5-0 for the Gaels with a complete game victory, striking out nine and walking two while giving up a pair of earned runs on four hits. Rhinehart (0-2) took the complete game loss, allowing five earned runs on nine hits, while striking out five and walking three. Four Saints registered hits in the contest, with Evans and Davis each picking up RBI.
Game 2: Siena 8, Iona 4
Looking to end the weekend on a high note, the Saints rallied behind strong relief pitching and late game run support to enter the win column for the first time this season in game two. After Iona took a 2-0 lead through one-and-a-half off an RBI single and a solo home run to left center, Siena found the scoreboard with four runs in the bottom half of the second. Sophomore Emma McLaughlin homered to left for her first collegiate bit fly to get the Saints on the board, and was followed up by RBI singles from Stile and sophomore Maritza Diaz that plated three more runs.
Stepping inside the circle in relief of Siena starter Nicole Patille, sophomore Allison Speshyock held down the fort defensively for the Saints, moving the contest along with Siena clinging to a two-run lead. Iona would come back to knot the game at four in the top of the sixth, however, with two more runs scoring on an error in right field. The Saints turned right around and plated the final four runs of the ballgame in the home half of the winning, with Diaz sending a pair home on a go-ahead two-run double to right center, and Davis and McLaughlin each sending RBI singles to left field.
Speshyock (1-1) picked up her first collegiate win in the relief effort, giving up only a pair of unearned runs off two hits and striking out five in six innings. Iona's Alyssa DeJianne (1-1) took the loss after conceding four earned runs off five hits in one and two-thirds innings, while Ciarra DeGiulio and Zazzaro combined to pitch the remainder of the contest for the Gaels.  Diaz and McLaughlin each registered their first career three-hit days for the Saints, with the former going 3-3 and driving in four runs.
Following the doubleheader split, Siena will prepare for more MAAC weekend home action. The Saints are scheduled to host conference foe Rider at Siena Softball Field on Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2 in a four-game series.
