EMMITSBURG, Md. (Interstat) — Bryce Rudisill broke out of a brief slump with a three-hit, three-RBI performance, including a decisive three-run homer, to power the Mount St. Mary’s Mountaineers to a 9-2 victory over the Iona Gaels in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference baseball on Sunday evening at Straw Family Stadium.

The win allowed the Mountaineers (6-7, 1-2 MAAC) to salvage the final game of a three-game series after dropping both ends of a doubleheader to the Gaels on Friday. Iona fell to 3-6 overall and 2-1 in conference play.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the bottom of the fifth inning, turning a tight contest into a comfortable Mountaineer lead. After Iona starter Justin Trinidad had kept the Gaels close through four innings, allowing three runs on four hits while striking out seven, the Mountaineers broke through against reliever Lang.

Alex Mendes and Ty Fredo led off the inning with back-to-back singles, setting the stage for Rudisill. The first baseman, who was hitless in the series opener Friday and 2-for-7 in the doubleheader, drove a pitch over the right-field fence for a three-run blast, stretching a 3-2 lead to 6-2. The homer was Rudisill’s third hit of the night, following a single and a double, and provided the Mountaineers with crucial breathing room.

Iona had taken an early lead in the top of the second when AJ Oden connected for a solo home run off Mountaineers starter Owen Crowe. The Gaels added an unearned run in the sixth on an RBI single by Mora, but could not sustain a rally against the Mount St. Mary’s bullpen.

The Mountaineers’ relief corps was dominant, combining for 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball. Jakob Foster, Maximus McCrary and Riley Williams provided scoreless outings, with McCrary striking out three in 1 1/3 innings and Williams allowing just one hit over two frames to close the game.

Mount St. Mary’s added insurance late, scoring on an RBI single by Fredo in the seventh and a wild pitch in the eighth that plated Mike Toth. The Mountaineers collected 12 hits, with Evan Meier going 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Iona out-hit the Mountaineers 10-9 through six innings but finished with 10 hits total and left nine runners on base.

Interstat’s ELO system had given Mount St. Mary’s a 62.1% probability to win entering the contest.

Iona next travels to face Fordham on Tuesday. Mount St. Mary’s will visit Maryland-Baltimore County on Tuesday before hosting Canisius in a MAAC series next weekend.