The Quinnipiac softball team (18-24, 4-6 MAAC) split a doubleheader for the second straight day with a win and loss against the Iona Gaels (9-27, 3-7 MAAC) on Sunday afternoon at the Quinnipiac Softball Field. The Bobcats won the first game in walk-off fashion while the Gaels dominated the second game 7-0.

“This team has fight and it has desire,” Quinnipiac head coach Jill Karowski said. “They see [the MAAC Tournament] within their reach. Today proved that.”

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Iona starter Carly Argyle put the first two Quinnipiac runners on in the bottom frame with a walk and hit by pitch, respectively. Taylor Troyan loaded up the bases with a bunt single. Miranda Magana ripped a double down the left field line to score Sydney Dennis from third and Sarah Heimbach from second to give Quinnipiac the 3-2 walk-off win.

“[Magana] has been a sparkplug, a little bit inconsistent at the plate this year. Yesterday, her parents were in from California, so I told them to give her a good pep talk today,” Karwoski said. “Whatever they did, it certainly worked today. We expect good things the rest of the season with Miranda.”

Robey nearly escaped a jam in the second inning, but Iona’s Carly Argyle grounded a single past Magana to score Kristen Turner for the game’s first run.

Robey finished the complete game with one strikeout, one earned run and her second win of the weekend.

“[Robey] is trusting her defense a little bit more, so her balls are breaking just a little bit sharper,” Karowski said. “She’s keeping that tight spin, which is awesome. That’s giving her a lot of confidence.”

Quinnipiac got on the board in the bottom of the third. Miranda Magana tied the game with an RBI single off Argyle.

Sarah Schutz drove in the go-ahead run for Iona with no outs in the top of the seventh. Kelsey Long started the inning with a single before she stole second base. Schutz hit a groundball up the middle for a base hit and Long held up at third. However, when Keilani Finley’s throw bounced to the backstop, Long came across the plate and Iona took a 2-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Iona hopped on Quinnipiac early in game two. Sarah Schutz hit Katie Newton in on a sacrifice fly in the first inning to give Iona a lead it wouldn’t give up.

Quinnipiac starting pitcher Casey Herzog gave up two runs in the second and three more in the third before being pulled after two and two thirds innings.

Iona’s Kristen Turner lofted a home run over the fence in right field to lead off the fifth inning and give her team a 7-0 lead that held as the final score.

Iona starter Christine Costello got the win in the complete-game shutout while striking out three Quinnipiac batters and allowing just one walk.

“We’ve got to figure out our hitting bug,” Karowski said. “I think it’s a couple small adjustments we have to make. Part of it’s mental, so I think if we can build off the first game, I think we have a good chance.”

Before the start of the doubleheader, Quinnipiac honored its senior class as part of Senior Day ceremonies. Robey, Dani Edmands, Molly Jarrett, Abby Johnson and Katie Strong stepped onto the Quinnipiac Softball Field with their families for commemoration in their final season.

“What’s been remarkable about [the seniors] is their immediate buy-in,” Karwoski said. “That trust is something that we’re building on. Our foundation with our core values, they’ve stuck to it.”

The Bobcats’ next game is against Holy Cross on Tuesday. The team returns to MAAC play on Saturday when they play a doubleheader against Saint Peter’s.