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Canisius University Athletics

#Griffs The Official Home of the Canisius University Golden Griffins | #Griffs
Gianna Fazzolari at Rider 2022
Dave Schofield '71
3
Winner Canisius CAN 22-16, 9-4 MAAC
0
Iona College ION 19-18, 8-5 MAAC
Winner
Canisius CAN
22-16, 9-4 MAAC
3
Final
0
Iona College ION
19-18, 8-5 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Canisius CAN 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 3 1
Iona College ION 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0

W: Giese, Megan (8-8) L: Zazzaro,Kara (10-8)

7
Winner Canisius CAN 23-16, 10-4 MAAC
2
Iona College ION 19-19, 8-6 MAAC
Winner
Canisius CAN
23-16, 10-4 MAAC
7
Final
2
Iona College ION
19-19, 8-6 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Canisius CAN 1 0 0 1 0 0 5 7 12 0
Iona College ION 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 5 3

W: Churchill, Alexis (3-3) L: Rieb,Samantha (6-6)

Game Recap: Softball |

Strong Pitching Leads Softball to Sweep of Iona

Canisius became the first team to reach 10 conference wins this season as it swept Iona, 3-0 and 7-2, in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference softball doubleheader Sunday in New Rochelle, N.Y.

With the sweep, the Golden Griffins improved to 23-16 on the season and 10-4 in MAAC play. The Gaels fell to 19-19 and 8-6 in conference action.

Game 1 Recap
Following the loss at Fairfield yesterday, sophomore Megan Giese bounced back, tossing her fourth complete game shutout of the season. Giese allowed just four hits and one free pass while striking out eight batters across seven innings.

Canisius jumped on Iona starter Kara Zazzaro, with the first five batters reaching base.

With the bases loaded, cleanup hitter Gianna Fazzolari served a pitch up the middle to score graduate student Erin Hufford and sophomore Christie McGee-Ross and give the Griffs an early 2-0 lead.

The Griffs added an insurance marker in the top of the fourth.

Following sophomore Emily Ilano's leadoff walk, Hufford slapped a two-out triple over the outfielder's head, plating Ilano and giving Canisius a three-run advantage.

Giese worked out of a pair of jams in the fifth and sixth, securing a double play in each of the frames, giving Canisius three turned double plays in the contest.

The Gaels looked to finally get on the board in the bottom of the seventh. 

Jessica Chilcott led off the frame with a double to right center, but Giese was able to retire the final three batters to secure the win for the Griffs.

Game 2 Recap
Canisius opened the scoring in the first following an RBI groundout from sophomore Destiny Falquez to plate Hufford.

Graduate student Shealyn Ollison got the ball to start game two, tossing a pair of innings in the circle for the Griffs, surrendering both of Iona's runs.

Down a run, the Gaels scored both of their runs on back-to-back wild pitches by Ollison in the home half of the opening frame.

Canisius worked back to tie the contest at 2-all in the fourth. With junior Tiara Johnson on third, freshman Saige Alfaro slapped a two-out pitch from Iona starter Samantha Rieb into left field.

The Griffs' offense broke the tie in the seventh, sending 11 batters to the plate in the five-run frame.

Fazzolari collected her second two-run single of the day, bringing in Hufford and pinch runner Julissa Garcia to give Canisius the 4-2 lead.

Back-to-back singles from pinch hitter Rosie Gomez and Johnson put the Griffs up four before Hufford's bases-loaded walk capped off the big inning. 

Senior Alexis Churchill entered the game in relief of Ollison in the third and silenced Iona's bats.

Churchill matched her career high with nine strikeouts over five innings, allowing just two hits.

Game Notes
• Canisius has now shut out an opponent six times this season, with four of those games coming in MAAC play.
• The Griffs have swept five doubleheaders this season, with three of the last four doubleheaders resulting in sweeps.
• The three double plays turned in game one was the most in a game since the Griffs turned three on Feb. 8, 2015 against Bowling Green.
• Giese joins redshirt senior Emily Nicosia in reaching the 200 career strikeout mark this season; both pitchers reached the milestone during the month of April.
• Giese has struck out eight or more batters in all seven of her starts against MAAC opponents this season.
• Giese is tied with Veronica Maher (2000) for the 12th most strikeouts in a single season with 134.
• Churchill tied her career high with nine strikeouts in relief, which she initially established on April 17, 2019 versus Buffalo.
• The sweep gives head coach Kim Griffin 150 career wins as a head coach and 85 wins against MAAC opponents.

Up Next
• Canisius returns to Western New York where it will play the remainder of its 2022 regular season schedule at the Demske Sports Complex, closing out the final seven games as the home team.

The Griffs are slated to host crosstown rival Buffalo on April 27 for a non-conference midweek contest with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.

For complete coverage of Canisius softball, please follow @griffssoftball on Instagram and Twitter.
 
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