The Fairleigh Dickinson University softball team split a mid-week non-conference double header at Iona on Wednesday, April 11.  The Knights fell 2-4 in game one before earned a 7-5 win in game two.  The Knights move to 21-12 on the season.

The Gaels took a 0-2 lead in the bottom of the second on a double, a single and an error by the FDU infield.  Iona moved to a 0-3 lead in the bottom of the third on a series of sacrifice bunts after a double to right center field.

In the top of the fourth, Maria Roney (Anacortes, WA/Anacortes) hit a homerun to left field to give the Knights one run.

The Gaels responded in the bottom of the fourth with their own homerun to left field to increase their lead to 4-1.

In the top of the seventh Lauren Hamliton reached base on a clean bunt and reached second base on a throwing error by Iona.  A single from Paige Castro (Elk Grove, CA/Franklin) drove home Hamilton, but the Knights were unable to cut Iona's advantage.

Caitlin Bradac (Garden Grove, CA/Garden Grove) earned the loss for FDU.  She allowed three earned runs on six hits through six innings of work.  She struck out four and walked one batter.

Iona took a one-run lead early in game two but the Knights responded with two runs in the top of the third on an RBI single from Bradac.  The runs enabled FDU to take a 2-1 lead. 

Iona tied the game at three in the bottom of the third and took a three-run lead in the bottom of the fifth. 

The Knights fought back with a big seventh inning.  A single from Cindy Zamudio (Wilmington, Calif./Redondo Union) sparked an offensive surge for FDU.  Bryana Dorado (Oxnard, Calif./Oxnard) and Maire Shaughnessy (Culpeper, Va./Highland) reached base and a single from Kirsten Shreve (Kent, WA/Kentwood) drove in a run.  Castro reached on an error in the next at-bat to drive in another run and bring the Knights within one run.

A sacrifice fly from Bradac scored Shreve before a single by Jordan Needle (Camarillo, CA/La Reina College Prep) drove home Castro to give the Knights a 6-5 lead.  A single from Roney drove Needle home to give the Knights their final advantage, 7-5.

Bradac led the knights with two hits in three at bats and three RBIs in game two.  Shreve, Castro, Needle and Roney each added one RBI. 

Shaughnessy earned the win for FDU with three earned runs on ten hits in six innings.  She struck out five and walked no one. 

The Knights host Saint Peter's College on Thursday, April 12 in Hackensack, NJ.  First-pitch in the non-conference double header is slated for 3:00 pm.