Box Score

Melbourne, Fla. – The American International College baseball team dropped a 6-0 decision at Florida Institute of Technology in its season-opener Friday afternoon. The Panthers improved to 13-7 with the victory.

Florida Tech scored the only run it would need in the bottom of the first when a groundout to third by junior Michael Demma (Coral Springs, Fla.) plated freshman Joe Clouse (Orlando, Fla.) from the third base. Clouse was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning before stealing second and reach third on a wild pitch.

The Panthers added two runs in the second on a two-RBI single to center field off the bat of senior Tyler Wright (Punta Gorda, Fla.) and got two more runs in the third. Senior Kevin Villa (Miami, Fla.) drove in the first of those runs with a sac-fly to left field to plate Demma and junior Tony Moos (Bronson, Fla.) doubled down the left field line to score senior Sam Palace (Clarkston, Mich.) from third. Demma crossed the plate again in the fourth off a Villa single left for the 6-0 final.

Sophomore Johnathan Cornelius (Land O'Lakes, Fla.) allowed just four hits and fanned 13 to pick up the win on the mound. Sophomore #Dillon Fontaine# (Amenia, N.Y.) started on the hill for the Yellow Jackets, allowing all six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.

Demma finished 2-4 with an RBI and two runs scored and Villa went 1-2 and drove in two runs. Senior #Dan Fey# (Plymouth, Mass.), junior #Dan Bassani# (Naples, Fla.), sophomore #Nicholas Devine# (Springfield, Mass.) and freshman #Julian Concepcion# (Woodstock Valley, Conn.) had one hit each for AIC.

The Yellow Jackets return to action Saturday when they take on Saint Anselm at Rollins College at 11 a.m.