WAPPINGERS FALLS, N.Y. Senior Lucas Vallas (East Northport, N.Y.) belted a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, but Saint Rose came from behind to record an 8-4 victory in Northeast-10 Southwest division baseball action this evening from Dutchess Stadium.
The Yellow Jackets fall to 3-8 on the year and 0-1 in NE-10 Southwest division play while the Golden Knights improve to 4-8 overall and 1-0 in divisional action.
AIC got on the board early as Vallas sent a 3-2 offering over the left field fence for a two-run homer and the 2-0 advantage after the first half inning.
Saint Rose responded in the bottom half of the first as they loaded the bases with one out and sophomore Tyler Ungerland (Elmira Heights, N.Y.) brought in a run as he reached on a fielder's choice for the 2-1 score.
The Jackets continued the pressure in the second as senior Dave Clark (W. Springfield, Mass.) laced an RBI triple to the right centerfield gap and then scored on a throwing error by the shortstop when Vallas got caught in a rundown between first and second later in the inning for the 4-1 cushion.
Both pitchers settled in and neither team threatened again until the Golden Knights erased the deficit and took the lead plating four runs in the bottom of the fifth all with two outs.
Senior Ryan Hooker (Poughkeepsie, N.Y.) scored on a wild pitch after being hit by a pitch to begin the inning then senior Lukas Nethaway (Fonda, N.Y.) doubled home another before Ungerland blooped a two-run single into left for the 5-4 advantage.
AIC threatened in the top of the seventh after a single by freshman Reed Phillips (E. Longmeadow, Mass.) followed by a balk and a walk to junior Tyler Geffert (Hopedale, Mass.) placed runners at the corners with two-outs.
However, junior Joe Pokrentowski (Syracuse, N.Y.) on in relief of senior Ryan Harper (Niskayuna, N.Y.) was able to get Vallas down by way of the K to end the inning keeping the one-run lead for the hosts.
The Knights responded with an insurance run in their half of the inning taking advantage of a double steal and a throwing error for the 6-4 edge.
St. Rose got more insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning as freshman Chris Introcaso (Newburgh, N.Y.) plated a pair with a two-out base-knock up the middle for the 8-4 final
Sophomore Mike Gentile (Windsor Locks, Conn.) absorbs the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season after tossing 4.2 innings surrendering five earned runs on three hits with four walks, three hit batters and four strikeouts.
Harper picks up the victory improving to 3-1 going the first six and one third innings allowing four runs (two earned) on four hits with a pair of walks and six punch outs settling in nice after a rocky first few innings to retire 14 in a row from the last out of the second to the first out of the seventh.
The Yellow Jackets were outhit 8-5 for the game and each team committed a pair of miscues.
AIC returns to action this weekend as they play a three-game set against Le Moyne with a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday pending field conditions at Richard F. Bedard Field.
