SPRINGFIELD, MA—The American International College baseball team (13-22-1, 5-16-1 NE-10, 2-11-1 SW) defeated the Le Moyne Dolphins (29-10-1, 14-6-1 NE-10, 9-4 SW) by a final score of 5-3 at AIC Park.
The Yellow Jackets got on the board first in the second inning, when graduate right fielder Kyle McNiff (Westford, MA) led off the inning with a solo home run to right field off of senior pitcher Mike Anarumo (Levittown, N.Y.).
The Dolphins played small ball and took advantage of mistakes to tie the score in the next half inning, however. After a leadoff single to left center by senior catcher Kyle Kalaka (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) and a sacrifice bunt to move him over, an error by senior second baseman Dennis Duffy (Warwick, R.I.) allowed Kalaka to score to tie the game.
However, the Dolphins then gave it away, with Anarumo hitting consecutive batters—sophomore pitcher Cam MacDonald (Weymouth, MA) and sophomore third baseman Dave Clark (West Springfield, MA) to lead off the bottom of the third before being pulled in favor of freshman pitcher Ryan Davis (Queensbury, N.Y.). A sacrifice bunt moved them both into scoring position before McNiff drilled a line drive double to center to plate the two runners. The Jackets then made it 4-1 when Dolphins' junior first baseman Brian Stinson (Binghamton, N.Y.) misplayed a pop up that allowed McNiff to score.
Though the Dolphins would chip away in the next few innings, getting a run in the fourth on an RBI single by senior designated hitter Matthew Ciraco (White Plains, N.Y.) and another in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop Ryan Mahoney (Clay, N.Y.), they were unable to ever take the lead in the game.
The Yellow Jackets would add one more run in the seventh inning. After junior shortstop Chris Amate (Hanover, MA) was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame, he stole both second and third base before being driven home by a single to left from senior first baseman Julian Concepcion (Woodstock Valley, CT). That insurance run proved to be the last tally of the game.
Cam MacDonald went the distance in the win, improving to 1-2 on the year, while Davis was charged with the loss, falling to 1-1 on the season.
The Yellow Jackets next head to Lowell to take on the UMass Lowell River Hawks tomorrow at 7:00 PM.