Even though a great deal of uncertainty surrounded Canisius baseball's first MAAC series this weekend, once it was finally played, the Griffs swept Saturday's double header, winning the first game 8-0, and the second 7-0 in New Rochelle, N.Y. Four different pitchers between the two games held the Gaels scoreless, as Canisius improved to 9-13 and 2-0 on conference play overall and Iona fell to 3-18 and 0-2 in the MAAC.

The Griffs pitchers allowed just eight total hits on the way to its 2-0 record, while the offense cranked out 17 hits in the pair of victories.

GAME ONE

Canisius starter Devon Stewart continued his mastery of Iona as he pitched eight strong innings, allowed just four hits and fanned five as he improved to 2-4 on the year. Stewart has now pitched 15 straight scoreless innings against the Gaels and has never allowed a run to cross the plate. He is 2-0 all-time against Iona and has allowed just six hits and struck out 10.

Jesse Puscheck and Mike Krische led the way offensively as both notched a pair of RBI, apiece. Anthony Massicci, Puscheck and Krische all had two hits in the Griffs lineup.

Canisius had struggled in its non-conference schedule with getting off to a good start as it had allowed teams to cross the plate in the first three innings in 15 games thus far this year. However in this contest, not only did Canisius hold a clean sheet, it scored at least one run each of the first five innings.

A Puscheck RBI double got things started in the top of the first, while Brett Siddall and Massicci scored in the top of the second and third to give Canisius a 3-0 lead.

The Blue and Gold offense broke out in the top of the fourth as the squad tallied three runs on three hits, as Puscheck tallied his second RBI of the game.

A Krische RBI double in the top of the fifth and a Siddall homerun in the top of the seventh capped the scoring for Canisius. Siddall's homerun is the only the second long-ball to be hit at City Park since the Gaels moved there in 2013. It's the first time an opponent has ever done it, and the first time since the last game of the 2013 season.

Josh Shepley came on in the bottom of the ninth to close out the contest as he faced three batters and struck out two.

GAME 2:

Following suit to his veteran teammate, J.P. Stevenson pitched a gem as he started the second game of the doubleheader and went six innings, allowed just four hits and fanned six batters in the contest. With the win he improved to 3-0, while Iona's Mariano Rivera pitched 4.2 innings and gave up two hits and one earned run as he fell to 1-4.

In this game, leadoff man, Jake Lumley led the Canisius offense with two RBI as he recorded a hit and three walks. Seven different Canisius batters recorded hits in the contest.

For the third straight-contest the Griffs got on the board in the top of the first as Connor Panas drove in Lumley on an RBI single down the left field line, to make it 1-0.

Rivera held Canisius scoreless the rest of the way until the Griffs notched two runs in the top to the six against Andrew Camiolo. After two quick outs, Krishe got on thanks to a walk and proceeded to steal second. Nick Capitano doubled to right field to drive Krishe in to make it 2-0. After Camiolo loaded the bases Vinny Martin came on a proceeded to walk in a run as Massicci earned the free pass, as the Griffs went up 3-0.

A four run seventh inning broke the game wide open as the Griffs scratched out four runs on four hits, as Siddall recorded one RBI and Lumley drove in a pair to make it 7-0.

Zachary Sloan came on in the bottom of the seventh to close out the game as he faced just three batters to secure the victory.

Canisius looks to record the clean sweep of the series tomorrow morning as it wraps up it series at Iona at 12 a.m. at City Park.