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Canisius University Athletics

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Thomas Zwirecki celebrates homer against Mount St. Mary's - April 26, 2025
Tom Wolf
3
Winner Canisius CANISIUS 15-23
1
Iona ION 15-23
Winner
Canisius CANISIUS
15-23
3
Final
1
Iona ION
15-23
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Canisius CANISIUS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 3 11 2
Iona ION 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 5 1

W: Staerker, Sam (2-2) L: Davis, Sean (4-2)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Takes Down Iona in Extra Innings

Redshirt-junior Thomas Zwirecki's two-run single in the top of the 11th helped lift Canisius to a 3-1 road win at Iona in MAAC baseball action Friday afternoon at City Park in New Rochelle, N.Y.

The win, the Golden Griffins' second extra-inning victory of the season, improved the Blue and Gold to 14-23 overall and 11-11 in league play, while the Gaels fell to 15-23 overall and 11-10 in conference action.

With runners at second and third with two outs in the 11th, Zwirecki put Canisius ahead for good after he lined a base hit to left that allowed teammates Andrew Marcello and Mason Cisco to score. Senior Sam Staerker retired Iona in order in the bottom-half of the 1tth to earn the win on the hill, evening his record to 2-2 on the year. Staerker pitched 2.2 innings of scoreless relief and allowed one hit and fanned three in his relief appearance.

Staerker came on in relief of senior Felix Moran, who allowed just one run one four hits in 8.1 innings of work. He also recorded five strikeouts and walked three in the no-decision effort.

After playing eight scoreless innings, Canisius took a 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth. Junior Erick Weeks, the reigning MAAC Player of the Week, led off the ninth with a triple, and then he scored moments later thanks to a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of freshman Blake Herman. In the bottom of the ninth, Iona's Kieran Kehoe knotted the game at 1-1 with an RBI-double down the left field line that allowed pinch runner Mitchell Muurphy to score from second base. Iona threatened to win in walk-off fashion with two runners on and just one out, by Staerker got a fly-ball out and a strikeout to end the threat and send the game to extra-innings.

Both teams had runners advance to second base in the 10th inning, but neither team could score, sending the game to the 11th. In the 11th, Marcello led off with a walk, and then advanced to second as Cisco's single to right. Redshirt-sophomore Justin Bremner dropped down a sac-bunt to move the runners to second and third, setting the scene for Zwirecki's late-game heroics.

Iona reliever Sean Davis took the loss for the Gaels after he gave up all three runs on five hits while striking out five in 4.0 innings of relief. Iona's starter, Brendan Callahan, took a no decision after he threw 7.0 scoreless innings, where he gave up six hits to go with three strikeouts and a pair of walks. 
 
Canisius generated the game's first scoring threat in the fifth inning, loading the bases with one out before Iona turned a double play to escape the jam and keep the Griffs off the board.
 
Iona threatened in the sixth when Sean Stephenson beat out an infield-single, then he moved to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch, but Canisius was able to work out of the jam and keep the game scoreless.

Redshirt-freshman Bennett Cox went 3-for-5 with a double in the win, while Cisco went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a walk. Zwirecki also had two hits in the victory as he extended his hitting streak to nine games.
 
GAME NOTES
• Canisius improved its all-time record over Iona to 46-27 with Friday's win.
• With his game-sealing two-run single in the 11th, Zwirecki now has seven multi-RBI performances this season. The catcher leads the team with his .960 OPS and 28 RBI.
• Weeks continues to be a problem for opposing pitchers, as the junior led off the ninth with a triple before later coming around to score and give Canisius a late lead. With the extra-base hit, he now has seven hits over his last three conference games.
• On the mound, Morin logged 8.1 innings, marking the longest outing of his collegiate career. The Quebec City, Qubec, native leads Canisius with his 2.84 ERA, 69.2 IP and 56 strikeouts.
• Staerker has 11 strikeouts over his last 8.1 innings of work.
• Canisius left 12 runners on base in the extra-inning affair, while Iona stranded eight.

UP NEXT
Canisius continues its weekend series at Iona with game two set for Saturday at 1 p.m., at City Park in New Rochelle, N.Y.

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