Tuesday, April 21
Fairfield, CT
2:00 PM
Sacred Heart
18-27, 13-10
5
vs
4
Iona
17-21, 12-9
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iona | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 0 |
| Sacred Heart | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 5 | 8 | 0 |
Softball Sweeps Iona in Critical MAAC Doubleheader in Home Finale
4/21/2026 9:07:00 PM | Softball
Freed homered again, while Campion tallied a two-hitter
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University softball team picked up a critical Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) sweep over Iona on Tuesday afternoon at Pioneer Park. SHU win the first game 5-4 and the second game 3-1.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (19-27, 14-10 MAAC)
Iona (17-22, 12-10 MAAC)
Game 1: SHU 5, Iona 4
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) – (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 5 strikeouts, 5-11 record)
Melissa Gordon (Iona) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 9-6 record)
Top Performers:
Cierra Bender – 3-4, 2 runs 1 RBI, 1 double
Kaelyn Freed – 2-3, 2 RBIs, 1 run, 1 home run
How It Happened:
The Gaels took the lead in the first inning of the opening game, putting two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning.
SHU answered quickly, scoring a run to cut the margin in half. Elle Leckrone and Ella Stoops both singled in the inning, as Charlene Davis plated Leckrone with an RBI groundout.
Iona tallied another run in the top of the second before Sacred Heart answered with four runs in the bottom of the second. Kaelyn Freed started the inning with a bang, blasting a two-run homer to left field to tie the score at 3-3. Leckrone and Davis followed with RBIs, Leckrone's being a double to send SHU into the third up 5-3.
The starting pitchers put a halt on the scoring over the next three innings, as the Gaels scored in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4.
With a one-run lead, Emily Heath started the seventh with a strikeout. Iona then tallied a double, ramping up the pressure. SHU was ready for the challenge, educing a flyout and a strikeout to end the game. Heath finished with five strikeouts in her fifth win of the season.
Game 2: SHU 3, Iona 1
Pitchers:
Emily Campion (SHU) – (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 2 strikeouts, 3-6 record)
Allison Hoppe (Iona) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 6-11 record)
Top Performers:
Kaelyn Freed – 2-2, 2 RBIs
Kathryn Hotle – 2-2, 1 RBI, 1 walk
How It Happened:
Freed picked up right where she left off in game two, plating Alexa Barbera with a sac fly in the bottom of the second inning to put the Pios up 1-0.
On the other side of the field, Iona had fits dealing with Emily Campion. The Gaels finished with two hits in the game, not getting their first until the fifth inning. Iona was scoreless until the sixth inning as a single and a walk led to the visitors tying the score at 1-1.
SHU was ready with an answer in the home half of the sixth, as an Ella Stoops leadoff single led to a run. Kathryn Hotle singled to right to plate a pinch-running Ava Lichtenberger from second base. Freed continued her strong play with another RBI with a single to the short stop to make it 3-1.
A error by the Pios to start the seventh made things interesting, but a double play in the next at-bat swung momentum back to the Pioneers. A fitting end to the contest, Iona flew out to Freed in center field to end the game.
Campion finished with a pair of strikeouts in her second consecutive complete-game win, as the first year catches fire to end her debut season.
Noteworthy:
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the road for a nonconference doubleheader at Central Connecticut on Saturday, April 25, beginning at noon.
Team Records:
Sacred Heart (19-27, 14-10 MAAC)
Iona (17-22, 12-10 MAAC)
Game 1: SHU 5, Iona 4
Pitchers:
Emily Heath (SHU) – (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 4 earned runs, 5 strikeouts, 5-11 record)
Melissa Gordon (Iona) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 5 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 9-6 record)
Top Performers:
Cierra Bender – 3-4, 2 runs 1 RBI, 1 double
Kaelyn Freed – 2-3, 2 RBIs, 1 run, 1 home run
How It Happened:
The Gaels took the lead in the first inning of the opening game, putting two runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning.
SHU answered quickly, scoring a run to cut the margin in half. Elle Leckrone and Ella Stoops both singled in the inning, as Charlene Davis plated Leckrone with an RBI groundout.
Iona tallied another run in the top of the second before Sacred Heart answered with four runs in the bottom of the second. Kaelyn Freed started the inning with a bang, blasting a two-run homer to left field to tie the score at 3-3. Leckrone and Davis followed with RBIs, Leckrone's being a double to send SHU into the third up 5-3.
The starting pitchers put a halt on the scoring over the next three innings, as the Gaels scored in the top of the sixth to cut the deficit to 5-4.
With a one-run lead, Emily Heath started the seventh with a strikeout. Iona then tallied a double, ramping up the pressure. SHU was ready for the challenge, educing a flyout and a strikeout to end the game. Heath finished with five strikeouts in her fifth win of the season.
Game 2: SHU 3, Iona 1
Pitchers:
Emily Campion (SHU) – (W, 7.0 innings pitched, 1 earned run, 2 strikeouts, 3-6 record)
Allison Hoppe (Iona) – (L, 6.0 innings pitched, 3 earned runs, 4 strikeouts, 6-11 record)
Top Performers:
Kaelyn Freed – 2-2, 2 RBIs
Kathryn Hotle – 2-2, 1 RBI, 1 walk
How It Happened:
Freed picked up right where she left off in game two, plating Alexa Barbera with a sac fly in the bottom of the second inning to put the Pios up 1-0.
On the other side of the field, Iona had fits dealing with Emily Campion. The Gaels finished with two hits in the game, not getting their first until the fifth inning. Iona was scoreless until the sixth inning as a single and a walk led to the visitors tying the score at 1-1.
SHU was ready with an answer in the home half of the sixth, as an Ella Stoops leadoff single led to a run. Kathryn Hotle singled to right to plate a pinch-running Ava Lichtenberger from second base. Freed continued her strong play with another RBI with a single to the short stop to make it 3-1.
A error by the Pios to start the seventh made things interesting, but a double play in the next at-bat swung momentum back to the Pioneers. A fitting end to the contest, Iona flew out to Freed in center field to end the game.
Campion finished with a pair of strikeouts in her second consecutive complete-game win, as the first year catches fire to end her debut season.
Noteworthy:
- SHU has won its last two MAAC series.
- With the win, Sacred Heart moves to fifth in the MAAC standings.
- The Pioneers end their home slate at 11-11.
- Freed hit her second career home run today, her second in three games.
- Campion has a complete-game win in her last two starts.
- Heath won her fifth game of the season.
Up Next:
The Pioneers hit the road for a nonconference doubleheader at Central Connecticut on Saturday, April 25, beginning at noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Heath, Emily (5-11)
L: Gordon (9-6)
Batting:
2B: Lichtner 1 ; Guerrero 1
RBI: Morales 1 ; Lichtner 1 ; Pina 2
SH: Donaruma 1
SF: Pina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Morales 1 ; Lichtner 1 ; Smith 1 ; Werth 1
SB: Morales 1 ; Lichtner 1 ; Pina 1 ; Fischer 1
HBP: Morales 1 ; Lichtner 1
Batting:
2B: Leckrone, Elle 1
HR: Freed, Kaelyn 1
RBI: Leckrone, Elle 1 ; Davis, Charlene 2 ; Freed, Kaelyn 2
SH: Bender, Cierra 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Leckrone, Elle 2 ; Burras, Katherine 1 ; Freed, Kaelyn 1 ; Palmer, Kira 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballP/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ SoftballINF
/ SoftballSaige Harper Paris 2024
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