GAME #1 - BOX SCORE
GAME #2 - BOX SCORE

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The University of Hartford softball team was swept by the Iona Gaels in a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon. The Hawks fell in the opening game by a 7-1 final and dropped a 3-1 decision in game two.

Hartford falls to 4-25 on the season while Iona improves its mark to 17-14 overall.

Sarah Jackson gave up just one hit to the Hawks in game one, allowing just three base runners through the first five innings of the game. She finished with 10 strikeouts on the afternoon. Siera Sheehan, a senior, earned the start for the Hawks, allowing 11 hits and seven runs in 5.2 innings.

The Gaels got on the board first in the bottom of the third with two outs recorded in the frame. With one out, Jodi Petersen poked a single down the middle of the infield and after stealing second base, she was singled-in with two outs by Chelsea Sheehan to make it a 1-0 contest in favor if Iona

The home team struck again in the bottom of the fifth, again doing the damage with two down in the frame as Beth Kann muscled a home run over the left field wall to double her team's advantage to 2-0.

Sophomore Amber Andrews reached base on an outfield error in the top of the sixth inning, and in the next play, Hartford disrupted Jackson's no-hitter when junior Erica Phelps made contact and turned an infield grounder into a hit. Kate Wacyk kept the rally going and knocked-in Andrews for the Hawks' first run of the game on a base hit to center field to cut the deficit to one.

The Hawks were unable to do any more damage to the scoreboard however as Phelps was caught stealing home plate and Chelsey Mooney grounded out to the Gaels' third baseman to conclude the inning.

Iona responded in the bottom of the sixth and reclaimed its two-run lead at 3-1. With one out recorded, Eileen McCann jumped on the first pitch she faced and smashed it over the wall of left center field.

Following the solo shot, the Gaels scratched four more runs across home plate in the sixth to move ahead, 7-1. Each of those tallies was scored with two outs, with the first run being pushed across when Petersen was hit by a Sheehan pitch with the bases loaded. With each base still occupied, Kann answered again for the Gaels and brought in the final three runs of the game on a two-bagger to centerfield.

The Gaels drew blood first again in the second game of the afternoon and grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. The middle of the line-up did the work as Alyssa Maiese led off with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by McCann. Maiese then scored the first run of the game when Allyssa James roped a base hit and was sacrificed home by Brianna Schauer.

Hartford countered in the top of the fourth inning with Jackie Kelly providing the answer with two outs in the frame. Andrews led off by roping a double to left field and after Maiese retired the next two Hawks on a fly out and a strikeout, Jackie Kelly stepped up and put a base hit out to left field, plating the game-tying run.

Unfortunately for the Hawks, Iona regained its one-run lead in its next at-bats after Argyle notched an RBI single up the middle of the infield. The Gaels then added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth to double its advantage at 3-1. With one out recorded, James ripped a single down the middle of the infield and two batters later, she crossed home on a base hit by Kann.

Freshman Ana Alberti worked the circle for the Hawks in the nightcap and threw for six complete innings. She allowed three earned runs while fanning a pair of batters.

Hartford is back in action this weekend when it hosts America East conference Albany for a three-game, weekend set. The Hawks and Great Danes will throw the first pitch of the series on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.