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Canisius University Athletics

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Chris Pouliot pitches against Iona on April 9, 2022
Ken Morey
3
Iona ION 0-26, 0-8 MAAC
13
Winner Canisius CAN 13-14, 5-3 MAAC
Iona ION
0-26, 0-8 MAAC
3
Final
13
Canisius CAN
13-14, 5-3 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Iona ION 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 4 3
Canisius CAN 1 2 0 0 0 4 5 1 X 13 13 1

W: Pouliot, Chris (6-1) L: Kasper, Joey (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Plates 13 Unanswered Runs en Route to Victory Over Iona

After allowing the first run of the game, Canisius plated the subsequent 13 runs to lift the Griffs past Iona, 13-3, in MAAC baseball action on Saturday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex.
 
Graduate student Mike Steffan went 2-for-2 with a home run and five RBI. Junior Mike DeStefano had a team-high three hits, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an inside-the-park home run. Graduate student Mike Mazzara also hit a home run for Canisius (13-14, 5-3).
 
Junior Chris Pouliot earned the victory on the mound, yielding just three hits and an unearned run over six frames while walking two and striking out four.
 
Joey Kasper was the losing pitcher for Iona (0-26, 0-8). He allowed three runs on seven hits in four innings of work. He walked four and fanned two.
 
GAME RECAP
Two of Iona's four hits on the game came from the first two batters. The Gaels struck first in the scoring column on a Canisius passed ball following back-to-back fielder's choices and a strikeout.
 
Graduate student Vinny Chiarenza tied the game on an RBI infield single in the home half of the first. All three Canisius hits in the frame came on infield singles.

Pouliot dominated the Gaels after the first inning, retiring 15 of the final 18 batters he faced. Two of the three runners that reached base came on walks.
 
Mazzara opened the second inning depositing a 3-2 pitch into the netting in left-center field. Steffan extended the lead with an RBI single that plated freshman Jackson Strong.
 
Both teams struggled to find offense for the next four innings as they combined for three hits.
 
Canisius' lone hit in the sixth came from Steffan as he hit the Griffs' second grand slam in as many days, sending a 3-2 pitch into the left field netting, putting the Griffs ahead 7-1.
 
Following a leadoff walk by Strong in the seventh, he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. DeStefano extended the lead to 9-1 on an inside-the-park home run. Freshman Josh Niles drove in junior Brennan Chisholm with an RBI single that set up junior Kenny Dodson's two-out, pinch-hit double that put the Griffs up 12-1.
 
In the eighth, sophomore Max Grant drove in Chisholm with an opposite field RBI double.
 
Luca Lotito drove Iona's first of two runs in the ninth on an RBI single. Lotito's single was the Gaels' first base hit since the third inning. Chris Mariani later scored on a wild pitch to round out the scoring.
 
Head Coach Matt Mazurek's Postgame Comments
"We had a great start from Pouliot, who had a little unfortunate first inning. That's baseball and we overcame it. We started slow on offense and got things going towards the middle — another huge at-bat from Mike Steffan, who fought off some pitches and got the big hit.
 
"I feel like I'm a broken record. [Chris Pouliot] 's consistently filling up the zone with all three pitches. He's mixing well and has command of them. It's hard to defend if you know it's coming, but you don't know where it's going to go. He does and he's hitting those spots. He's doing a great job."
 
GAME NOTES
• Saturday marked the 65th all-time meeting between Canisius and Iona. The Griffs are now 40-25 over their Empire State rival and have won 33 of the last 37 in the series.
• With the victory, Pouliot has been the winning pitcher in each of his last five outings. The six wins are the most by a Canisius pitcher since Andrew Sipowicz (6) in 2019.
• Steffan recorded his third five-RBI game of the season. He is the first Griff with three five-RBI games since Connor Panas (3) in 2015. Over his last four games, Steffan has driven in 12 runs.
• With his leadoff infield single, DeStefano extended his on-base streak to 27 games. DeStefano's inside-the-park home run was the first by a Canisius player since Jacob Victor at Niagara on May 17, 2019.
• Following his RBI infield single in the first, Chiarenza now has seven RBI over his last four games.
• Canisius is 61-9 under Matt Mazurek when leading after seven innings of play. The Griffs are also 39-7 when scoring 10-plus runs under Mazurek and are 8-1 in those instances in 2022.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will go for the series sweep of Iona on Sunday at the Demske Sports Complex. First pitch between the Golden Griffins and Gaels is slated for noon. Game action will be broadcast on ESPN3.
 
For complete coverage of Canisius baseball, please follow @GriffsBaseball on Instagram and Twitter.
 
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