SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—A strong outing by freshman right-handed pitcher Derek Azzopardi (Redwood City, Calif.) was backed by another offensive outburst as the AIC baseball team (15-16, 6-12 NE-10, 3-9 Southwest Division) took the rubber match of a three game weekend set against the conference rival Adelphi Panthers (18-19-1, 9-12 NE-10, 7-6 Southwest Division) by a score of 11-1.

The Jackets jumped out to a lead they would never relinquish in the first inning when sophomore designated hitter Lucas Vallas (East Northport, N.Y.) hit a sacrifice fly to score a run, followed by RBI singles by junior left fielder Dan Asselin (Chicopee, Mass.) and junior catcher Dan Fenton (Chicopee, Mass.) to go up 3-0 early on.

The score would remain that until the fifth, when Asselin and freshman second baseman Zach Kane (New London, Conn.) hit back-to-back RBI doubles to left, and added a third run when Asselin came home thanks to a wild pitch.

Adelphi scored in the sixth by stringing three singles together, with the third by sophomore shortstop Donato Signore (Bronx, N.Y.) plating a run; however, AIC responded in the home half with two of their own as Asselin ripped another double with two men on.

The Jackets then added three more to make it 11-1 in the home half of the seventh, with Vallas doubling in a run, junior center fielder Dave Clark (West Springfield, Mass.) scoring on an error, and Asselin driving Vallas in with an infield hit.

Despite several long breaks because of the scoring, Azzopardi was dominant, hurling eight innings of eight-hit, one run ball, fanning five and not issuing a walk in the victory that improved him to 3-0 on the year. Adelphi's starter, senior right-handed pitcher Jimmy Milani (Centereach, N.Y.) , fell to 3-2, pitching four innings, striking out seven but surrendering ten hits and six runs, three of which were earned.

AIC next will host the Le Moyne Dolphins in a Northeast-10 Southwest Division doubleheader at AIC Park on Wednesday April 24 that is set to start at 1:00 PM.