Looking to rebound after dropping its first four contests, the Iona College softball team was swept over the weekend of March 8 and 9, losing to Central Connecticut State, Drexel and Hampton in the Lady Pirate Classic in Hampton, Va.

Iona (0-7) was shut out by Central Connecticut State 8-0 in the first game of the tournament. The Blue Devils scored in each of their four innings at bat. Their biggest inning came in the fourth when they tacked four runs onto the scoreboard.

Junior Carly Argyle pitched for the Maroon & Gold, giving up 8 earned runs on 9 hits, including 6 walks in 3 2/3 innings pitched. Offensively the Gaels bats were silent as they were held to one hit.

In their next game, the Gaels faced Drexel in a much tighter contest. The Dragons prevailed 9-8 in eight innings. Iona piled on five runs in the sixth inning and held an 8-6 advantage.

Junior center fielder Alison Hand got the rally started with a one-out bunt single. Senior catcher Katie Jansson doubled advancing Hand to third base. After sophomore designated hitter Sydney Dimon flied out, junior shortstop Brianna Schauer reached on an error by the first baseman. Freshman left fielder Ashlyn Morris reached on catcher’s interference, which Hand scored. With the bases loaded, freshman first baseman Kristen Turner, who was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Player of the Week the week before, crushed a grand slam.

“It felt really awesome being Player of the Week especially because it was my first college tournament ever. It was really cool to do so well in my debut weekend and get such a cool recognition as a freshman,” Turner said. “I hope that I can continue to do as well during the rest of the season. I’ll be able to use that to motivate me to tell myself that I can do really well if I really focus and work hard.”

Drexel answered with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game at eight. Iona was held scoreless in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, the Dragons pushed a run across to give them the victory.

Freshman Sarah McMahon gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings of relief and suffered the loss. Sophomore Jordan Courage started the game and gave up six runs (four of them earned).

Turner tallied four runs batted in (RBI). Hand and graduate student outfielder Eileen McCann each recorded two hits.

Iona tried to avoid getting swept when it took the field against the Hampton Pirates but wound up losing 5-3.

The Gaels scored the first three runs of the game in the top of the second inning. Schauer hit a bases-loaded single up the middle for two runs. Hampton answered in the bottom half of the inning with four runs to take the lead.

Iona had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the fifth but failed to put a run on the board. Hampton added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.

Schauer amassed two hits and two RBI. McCann had three hits, and Hand compiled two hits. Courage was on the hill once again and gave up four runs on two hits in 2 2/3 innings. Only one of these four runs was earned.

Next up for the Gaels will be the University of South Florida Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. from March 14-16. They will play six games over the course of the three days. On the first day, Iona will square off against the Providence Friars and the Florida A&M Lady Rattlers.