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Brayden Hy at bat against Iona on April 17 at the Demske Sport Complex
Joe Lehrman
17
Winner IONA ION 12-23, 6-10 MAAC
16
Canisius CAN 7-22, 5-10 MAAC
Winner
IONA ION
12-23, 6-10 MAAC
17
Final
16
Canisius CAN
7-22, 5-10 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
IONA ION 1 1 1 1 2 0 9 0 1 0 1 17 21 2
Canisius CAN 0 1 1 0 4 6 3 1 0 0 0 16 20 4

W: Zguro, Matt (2-1) L: Hennessy, Ethan (0-3)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Iona Outlasts Baseball in Extra-Innings Slugfest

Canisius and Iona combined for 12 home runs, 41 hits, 105 at-bats and eight doubles before an 11th-inning home run from Jordan Overton lifted the Gaels to a 17-16 victory in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball action at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, N.Y. 

With the win, Iona took game one of the series and improved to 12-23 overall with a 6-10 conference record. The Golden Griffins fell to 7-22 with a 5-10 ledger in the MAAC.

The win was awarded to Matt Zguro, who pitched two scoreless innings in the 10th and 11th, holding the Griffs to one hit. Redshirt senior Ethan Hennessy was charged with the loss after pitching 4.1 innings of relief for Canisius. 

Sophomore Eric Weeks highlighted a Canisius lineup that posted a season-high 20 hits as he went 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and three runs scored. Senior Trent Rumley finished 2-for-6 with a home run and four RBI while freshman Brayden Hy posted three hits in five plate appearances with a home runs and three runs scored. Redshirt senior Thomas Zwirecki went 3-for-5 with two RBI and caught all 11 innings while junior Mason Cisco hit his second home run of the season.

Six players posted multi-hit games for Iona, highlighted by a trio of multiple home-run efforts, while six drove in multiple RBI. Overton hit two homers, punctuated by his go-ahead solo shot in the 11th, and Anthony Febo went 3-for-6 with three homers and four RBI. The Iona lead-off hitter, Damian Rodriguez, hit two home runs as well while posting three RBI. 

Setting the tone for the game, Rodriguez homered in the first at-bat of the day allowing Iona to take the initial lead. Febo homered in the second before the Griffs responded with an RBI double from Zwirecki. Iona retook a 3-1 with Sean Stevenson RBI single before Hy hit another home run for the Griffs.

Iona established a 6-2 lead by the bottom of the fifth inning before the Griffs rattled off 10 unanswered runs in the fifth and sixth innings to grab a 12-6 advantage. The Gael battled right back in the seventh, scoring nine runs to take a 15-12 lead, highlighted by a five at-bat sequence where they hit a home run, a double and then three consecutive home runs. 

Canisius returned the favor in the home half of the seventh with Weeks and Cisco hitting back-to-back home runs to tie the game at 15-15. The Griffs briefly took the lead in the eighth as redshirt senior Josh Niles' single drove home Zwirecki, who led the inning with a double.

Stephenson knotted the score at 16-16 in the ninth before the Gaels closed out the scoring in the 11th with Overton's go-ahead homer to secure the series-opening victory. 

GAME NOTES
• This is the Griffs' first extra-innings game since May 9, 2023 when they tied Niagara 8-8 in 11 innings. The game was called due to darkness.
• The 12 home runs in the contest is tied for the most home runs in a Division I game this season. Morehead State and Ohio also played a game with a combined 12 home runs between the two teams on March 11. 
• The Griffs 53 at-bats was one shy of tying the program record of 54, a record set against Iona on April 13, 2009.
• Canisius recorded a season-high 20 hits in the contest. This is the most since March 28, 2023 when Canisius banged out 20 base knocks against Binghamton.
• The Griffs struck out 18 times, tying their season high.
• The 21 hits allowed by Canisius is the most since March 14, 2014 when they surrendered 24 to Miami
• The Griffs turned a season-high three double plays.

UP NEXT 
The Griffs and Gaels continue their series at the Demske tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.

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