Siena Softball and the Iona Gaels met in New Rochelle, NY, Saturday afternoon for the first two of a three-game weekend series. Backed by a pair of solo home runs, the Gaels took game one by a 3-1 score while a three-run home run in game two proved to be the difference in a 6-4 Iona win. 
 
Iona 3, Siena 1
 
The Saints jumped on the board four batters into the game when Emma Petersen singled home Lauren Melton from second base to hand starting pitcher Alissa Eimont a 1-0 lead before taking the circle. The redshirt junior kept the lead intact over the first two innings, making quick work of the Gaels as she retired the first six in a row in 20 pitches. 
 
Iona got its first baserunner of the game to lead off the third by way of a hit by pitch. Later with two outs and the tying run on third, Eimont induced a groundout to Carlie Venables at shortstop to keep Siena ahead 1-0 entering the fourth. 
 
In the home half of the fourth the Gaels struck even on their first hit of the game when Brianna Fischer led off the frame with a solo home run down the left field line. Then in the following inning Iona broke through for its first lead of the game with a one-out RBI single to carry a 2-1 lead into the sixth. 
 
Threatening immediately in the top half of the sixth, Melton wore a pitch to start things off while Gracie Goewey followed with a base knock to right field. However, two comebackers to Allison Hoppe and a flyout to right put an end to Siena's half of the inning. 
 
The Gaels added to their lead in the bottom half with a leadoff, solo home run off the bat of Hailey Guerrero, and left additional insurance runs on the bases after loading them later in the inning. Looking to mount a comeback, Venables and McKenzie Swinson hit back-to-back one-out singles and wound up on second and third base. However, the Gaels immediately turned a game-ending double play to put an end to game one. 
 
Iona 6, Siena 4
 
Iona looked to strike first in game two with a runner on second and two gone in the bottom of the second inning, but Kaycie Kennedy kept the Gaels off the board after forcing a flyout to escape the frame. The Saints came back with a chance in the top of the third after McKenzie Swinson singled with one out, and proceeded to swipe second. However, the senior was left stranded at second base as the game remained scoreless going into Iona's half of the third. 
 
The Gaels cracked the board in the bottom of the fourth when Kenadie Gonzalez connected for a two-out, three-run home run. 
 
Siena's offense began to click in the sixth inning. Lauren Melton and Madi Silber pieced together back-to-back singles, leading to an RBI knock off the bat of Gracie Goewey. Emma Petersen immediately stepped in and tripled home two runs to tie the game before coming home for a 4-3 Saints lead on a Cali DeLawder sacrifice fly. 
 
With Goewey in to pitch the sixth, Iona's first two batters reached base, and the team eventually had runners at second and third with one out. Sara Pina stepped in and singled to put the Gaels back ahead 5-4, before Iona later added an insurance run on an infield single to lead 6-4. 
 
Ashlee Sweet began the seventh taking a hit by pitch hoping to spark a comeback. However, a strikeout, fielder's choice, and groundout rounded out the Siena seventh and game two. 
 
Siena and Iona conclude the three-game series at noon Sunday.