New Rochelle, N.Y. ?  Marissa Powell extended her winning streak in the circle to six games and Meagan Butsch fell just a double short of the cycle in the second game to lead the UAlbany softball team to a doubleheader sweep of Iona at the Rice Oval Softball Field on Wednesday, April 1. The Great Danes, who recorded five-inning victories by scores of 8-0 and 11-0, have now won five straight contests and nine of their last 10.

            Powell, who has been credited with every victory during the Great Danes' five-game winning streak, picked right up where she left off yesterday against Marist in game one. She struck out the side in the first inning, and followed up with two more in the second while keeping Iona (6-14) off the scoreboard.

The Great Dane offense rewarded Powell with two runs in the top of the third thanks to aggressive baserunning. Kat Smith led off with a single up the middle, and was sacrificed over to second by Nicole Kothe. Andrianna Walraven then singled through the left side and stole second, putting two runners in scoring position for Michelle Connors (Shenendehowa). The junior put the ball in play for a single, plating Smith and Walraven before she was thrown out while trying to advance to second.

UAlbany ballooned its lead by batting around and adding six more runs in the top half of the fourth. Butsch, who went a combined 4-for-6 with a home run in the two games, led off with a ground-rule double and stole third base. After Gina Mason was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners for Jess Bergin, the sophomore tripled to double the lead. She scored on the ensuing play when Katie Wambold grounded out to short. Three batters later, Walraven hit a three-run shot over the fence in left field to make it 8-0, and that was all the insurance the team needed.

UAlbany's Powell improved to 7-7 at the time with the win, tossing her second shutout of the season and third of her career. She only allowed two hits and one runner to reach second base. In addition, Powell struck out six while issuing just one walk. Iona's Deanne Algeo fell to 1-7 on the season with the loss. She surrendered seven hits and eight runs which were all earned in 3.1 innings of work. Silva Kassondra pitched the remainder of the game, and did not allow any hits.

The Great Danes continued to manufacture runs in many different ways in the second game. After Walraven walked and Smith was hit by a pitch, the duo successfully pulled off a double steal in the top of the first. Walraven then came home on a passed ball by Silva for an unearned run. Connors walked and stole second to put two runners in scoring postion, but Silva settled down to retire the next three batters.

UAlbany scored seven more runs in the top of the third. Connors singled up the middle, and was plated courtesy of a triple to right center by Butsch. Due to an error in right field, the senior was able to circle the bases and score the Great Danes' third run of the ballgame.

The Great Danes loaded the bases to keep the inning going, and Smith followed with a two-run single. Bailey Van Deest reached on an error to score two more, and the inning ended with the Great Danes ahead by eight.

Butsch led off the fourth inning with a home run which made it 9-0 in favor of UAlbany, and she drove in another run on a single in the fifth to put her team ahead by 10. She fell a double Mason drew a walk with the bases loaded for the 11th run before the frame ended when two runners left early.

UAlbany's Powell picked up her sixth consecutive victory dating back to last week's 2-0 win over Siena at Albany Field, hurling three shutout innings and only allowing one hit. She fanned two Iona batters en route to improving her record to 8-7 this spring. McIntosh relieved her in the fourth and finished with five strikeouts. Iona's Silva went the distance in the losing effort to drop to 0-2.

UAlbany (18-8), which has won 15 consecutive regular season games at Albany Field, will host a three-game series against Hartford over the weekend. The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, and conclude the weekend with single game at noon on Sunday, April 5.

-agate-

            UAlbany                                    002       60                     8          7          0

            Iona                                          000       00                     0          2          0

Game was called due to eight-run rule

UAlbany: Marissa Powell and Kat Smith.

Iona: Deanne Algeo, Kassondra Silva (4) and Melanie Gettins.

            UAlbany (18-8)                           107       12                     11         8          2                                             

            Iona (6-14)                                 000       00                     0          1          3

Game was called due to eight-run rule

UAlbany: Marissa Powell, Leah McIntosh (4) and Kat Smith.

Iona: Kassondra Silva and Melanie Gettins.

Score by Innings               R  H  E
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Albany.............. 002 60 -  8  7  0
Iona College........ 000 00 -  0  2  0
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Score by Innings               R  H  E
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Albany.............. 107 12 - 11  8  2
Iona College........ 000 00 -  0  1  3
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