By Matt Lisella
The Iona College baseball team is playing its best baseball of the season, and doing so at the right time. The Gaels (17-17, 10-5 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) have won four of their last six contests, catapulting the team into second place in the MAAC. The Maroon & Gold have won four straight conference series, including a doubleheader sweep at rival Siena in the first two games of a three-game set on April 29.
The Gaels took game one 12-6, behind senior pitcher Bill Maier, who pitched six innings and struck out seven batters. Maier did give up six runs, but with plenty of help from the offense, he moved to 6-3 on the season.
Maier’s 2.78 ERA is one of the best among starting pitchers in the MAAC this season. Maier’s ability to be around the plate all game, and pitch to contact is a reason why he’s been so successful. His 11 walks in almost 60 innings are among the league leaders for starting pitchers.
The Iona offense got going early in the first inning. Junior Sean Scales and graduate student Alex Beckett both drove in runs with singles. The Gaels continued to pour on runs in innings three through six as five different Gaels had multi-hit games.
Scales finished 3-for-6 with two RBIs, Beckett added two hits with two runs driven in, senior Matt Byrne had three hits of his own and drove in two, while sophomore Fran Kinsey and junior Lou Matarazzo combined to go 10-for-11 with six runs scored and three RBIs in the win.
Kinsey, who is in his second season with Iona, has made a definite case for All-MAAC First Team honors. He not only leads the team in runs (25) and RBI (24), but Kinsey is top five in the conference in batting average, hitting .354.
“Our lineup is one of the deepest lineups I’ve ever been a part of,” Kinsey said. “It’s been a special group and we’re just getting started.”
Game two also went to the Maroon & Gold as they pulled out a 9-6 victory after trailing 6-1 in the first inning. The Gaels chipped away at the Saint’s lead, scoring four runs in the second. Kinsey lead the charge with a two-run single to get Iona within one.
After a Kinsey sacrifice fly in the fourth to tie it, Iona added three more runs in the fifth to go ahead for good.
Freshman left-hander Mario Ferraioli earned the win out of the bullpen, throwing 4.1 innings and allowing just 2 hits. He also added five strikeouts.
Junior Jared Finkel came on to convert the six-out save and ensure the win for Iona. The right-hander is now among the league-leaders with a 1.21 ERA. He is also the MAAC saves leader, with eight.
“I am just extremely lucky to be able to contribute to our success,” Finkel said. “If we stay on this path, I think we might have a great chance to make some noise in the postseason.”
Finkel is also one save away from tying the school record of nine set by Brian Parish in 2004. It’s a record mark he wasn’t aware of.
“Oh, wow,” Finkel said after learning of his opportunity. “I wasn’t aware. That would be awesome to be able to put my name in the record books. More saves mean more wins and more wins is what makes me happy.”
Iona closed out the three game series against Siena with a 8-3 victory.
The Gaels will look to stay hot when they take on No. 18 St. John’s in Queens on Tuesday, but stats were not available as of press time. Iona will then host Canisius in crucial three-game series, which starts on May 6.
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