Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The American International College baseball team dropped a 6-1 decision to Southern Connecticut Thursday afternoon at AIC Park. The Owls improved to 26-15 on the year and 16-6 in the Northeast-10, while the Yellow Jackets dropped to 9-25 overall and 7-16 in conference play. Freshman Louis Saunders (Garfield, N.J.) was a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate on the day for AIC and was home run shy of hitting for the cycle.

Junior Mike Diaz (Monroe, Conn.) broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the second when he blasted graduate student Brett Cooley's (Somers, Conn.) 1-1 offering over the right field fence with two on and two outs to give Southern Connecticut the lead for good at 4-1. The Owls added insurance runs in the third and ninth innings for the 6-1 final.

Sophomore Jim Fuller (Marlborough, Mass.) allowed one run on seven hits with 13 strikeouts to earn the win on the mound for Southern Connecticut, while Cooley took the loss after giving up five runs on nine hits with three Ks in eight innings.

The Owls took a 1-0 lead in the first as Diaz doubled to left center to lead off the game and later scored on junior Karl Derbacher's (Northford, Conn.) single to center field. The Yellow Jackets tied it in the bottom of the frame as junior Dan Fey (Plymouth, Mass.) led off with a double down the left field line and scored two batters later on senior Jeff Rustico's (Southington, Conn.) single to center.

AIC had several good scoring opportunities after falling behind, but was unable to push any runs across the plate. Saunders tripled to left field to lead off the third and was stranded at third base and Fuller got senior Jason Rustico (Southington, Conn.) to ground into a double play with one out and the bases loaded in the fifth.

Diaz finished the day 3 for 5 with three RBIs and three runs scored for the Owls and freshman Nick DeProspo (Worcester, Mass.) was 3 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored. Fey went 2 for 4 with a run scored for the Yellow Jackets.

AIC will next travel to Bryant Saturday for a Northeast-10 doubleheader starting at noon.