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Ella Johel celebrates with her teammates after making a defensive play in a home game against Iona on April 12, 2025.
Lindy Feider
1
Iona ION 18-13, 12-2 MAAC
2
Winner Canisius CAN 16-16, 6-4 MAAC
Iona ION
18-13, 12-2 MAAC
1
Final
2
Canisius CAN
16-16, 6-4 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Iona ION 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 2 0
Canisius CAN 0 0 0 0 0 2 X 2 6 0

W: Manchester, Olivia (11-1) L: Hoppe, Allison (9-6)

8
Winner Iona ION 19-13, 13-2 MAAC
5
Canisius CAN 16-17, 6-5 MAAC
Winner
Iona ION
19-13, 13-2 MAAC
8
Final
5
Canisius CAN
16-17, 6-5 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Iona ION 0 0 0 4 2 0 2 8 9 1
Canisius CAN 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 5 11 1

W: Andarowski, Nadia (4-2) L: Wiggins, Kate (0-1) S: Hoppe, Allison (1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Splits a Doubleheader with Iona

The Canisius softball team scored a 2-1 come-back win in game one before Iona rallied for an 8-5 victory in the nightcap as the Golden Griffins and the Gaels split a MAAC softball doubleheader Saturday afternoon at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
In the first game, sophomore Olivia Manchester allowed one run on two hits to earn her team-leading 11th win of the season and freshman Vivi Vargas drove in the game-winning run with two outs in the sixth to lift Canisius to the 2-1 victory. In the nightcap, the Griffs jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Iona answered with four runs in the fourth and took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the fifth to secure the 8-5 road win.
 
Canisius moved to 16-17 overall and 6-5 in league play with the split, while Iona, which started the day on a seven-game win streak, saw its record go to 19-13 overall and 13-2 in conference action.  
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Manchester improved to 11-1 in the circle for the Griffs after she went the distance and allowed just one run on two hits to go along with a career-high nine strikeouts in the team's 2-1 victory in the first game of the day. After allowing two runners on in the top-half of the first inning following a hit batter and a walk, the Folsom, Calif., native proceeded to retire 13-straight Iona batters before she allowed a lead-off walk to start the sixth.
 
Manchester's no-hit bid came to an end with a runner at first and one out in the sixth after Iona's Brianna Fischer dropped a base hit down the left-field line. Moments later, Hailey Guerrero drove in pinch-runner Leah Palmer from second base with an RBI-single. With the 1-0 lead, the Gaels had two runners on with one out, but Manchester got two ground-ball outs to end the sixth inning and the Gaels' scoring threat.
 
In the home-half of the sixth, Canisius tied the game at 1-1 thanks to an RBI-double off the bat of junior Sofia Escoto, which allowed fellow junior Bailey Alatorre to score from first base. Escoto was lifted for pinch-runner Gabi Farris, who later scored the winning run on Vargas' single to left with two outs, which put the Blue and Gold up 2-1 after six innings of play.
 
Manchester retired the Gaels in order in the seventh to secure the win, ending the Gaels seven-game win streak. Canisius had six hits in the game one victory, led by sophomore Ella Johel, who went 2-for-3 with double. Iona's Allison Hoppe took the loss for the Gaels after she gave up two runs on those six hits while fanning six and walking three in a complete-game effort.  
 
GAME TWO RECAP
Canisius wasted little time jumping on Iona, as the Griffs scored three times in the top-half of the first to take an early 3-0 lead. In that inning, Johel drove home freshman Tabitha von Kolen with a double to the gap in left center, and she scored moments later after senior Rosie Gomez went yard with a monster home run over the fence in left to put the Blue and Gold up by three runs. In the third, Canisius extended its lead to 4-0 after Gomez smashed a base hit off the fence in right-center that pushed Johel across the plate from second base.
 
Iona tied the game with four runs in the top of the fourth to make the score 4-4. Guerrero led off that frame with a solo homer to left, and the Gaels cut the Griffs' lead in half to 4-2 after Alivia Litchner bunted home a runner from third. Litchner and teammate Brianna Bailey scored moments later on an RBI-triple to the gap in right-center off the bat of Caelin Kosvitch. Iona took the lead for good in the fifth with a sacrifice fly and a Canisius throwing error.
 
Trailing 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth, Canisius got a run back on a RBI-single to center by senior Emily Ilano, which pushed Johel across the plate. The score remained 6-5 until the seventh when Brooke Acker hit a two-run homer with one out in the frame to make it an 8-5 affair. Canisius had two runners on with two outs in the seventh, but Hoppe, who came on in relief of starter Nadia Andarowski, got a ground-ball out to end the contest to earn her first save of the season.
 
Canisius banged out 11 hits in the losing effort off Andarowski, who moved to 4-2 in the circle with the victory. Johel went 4-for-4 with two doubles, three runs scored and an RBI in the game two defeat, while Gomez went 3-for-3 with a homer, three RBI and a run scored. Ilano also had a two-hit day and she stole a base as well.
 
GAME NOTES
• Canisius leads the all-time series with Iona, 52-23. The Griffs have defeated Iona in 12 of the last 14 meetings between the two programs.
• The game-one win improved Canisius to 3-0 this season in games where the score was tied after five innings of play.
• After Saturday's games, Canisius has scored 34 runs in the third inning of games this season, the best offensive inning for the Blue and Gold this season.
• Manchester is averaging 4.3 strikeouts per appearance in six outings in league play this season. She has fanned five or more batters in three of her five starts in conference play.
• Johel finished the day by going 6-for-7 with three doubles, three runs scored and an RBI.
• Gomez's three RBI in game two marked the third time this season she has driven in three runs in a game.
• Canisius went a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen base opportunities on Saturday, with Ilano swiping two of those three bags for the Griffs.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will close out its three-game home series with Iona on Sunday, with game time set for noon. That contest will be broadcast live on the Golden Griffin Broadcast Network at GoGriffs.com. Sunday will be the softball program's annual Pride Game.
 
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