SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Junior starting pitcher Harrison Paige (Springfield, Mass.) went the distance in game-two securing the 3-1 victory after a 3-0 defeat in game-one in a Northeast-10 Southwest Division twin-bill against Le Moyne this afternoon at Richard F. Bedard Field.
With the doubleheader split AIC improves to 5-14 on the year and 2-5 in divisional action while the Dolphins fall to 8-13 overall and 2-4 in NE-10 SW play.
After each team grabbed an unearned run in the fifth inning the Jackets were able to pull ahead in the bottom of the sixth as they plated a pair.
Junior Tyler Geffert (Hopedale, Mass.) led off the frame with a single up the middle and moved to third on a double to right by graduate student Dave Clark (West Springfield, Mass.) before they both crossed home on a base-knock through the right side by sophomore Chris Starcun (Easthampton, Mass.) for the 3-1 edge.
The Dolphins threatened in the top of the eighth as they loaded the bases thanks to a single and back-to-back fielding errors, however, Paige was able to induce a line out to shortstop and junior Eddie Ritch (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) doubled the runner off second to end the threat.
Paige came back out for the ninth and recorded a 1-2-3 inning to secure his first win of the season running his record to 1-3 as he scattered six hits without allowing an earned run and struck out six.
Dolphin sophomore Damien Powers (Williamsville, N.Y.) falls to 1-4 with the loss after hurling the first 7.2 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with a pair of walks and six strikeouts.
The middle of the Yellow Jacket order did the damage in game-two as Geffert, Clark and Starcun combined to go 5-for-12 with a pair of runs scored and two RBI's for the game.
Game-one started as a pitcher's duel between a pair of southpaws in AIC sophomore Michael Gentile (Windsor Locks, Conn.) and Le Moyne senior Ryan Davis (Queensbury, N.Y.), before the Dolphins grabbed a pair of runs in the top of the fifth to take the lead.
Sophomore Donato DiNorcia (Naples, Fla.) scored a run on a wild pitch and junior Dylan Swetman (Honeoye Falls, N.Y.) ripped a run producing single to center field for the 2-0 edge.
The Dolphins added to that lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI base-knock by sophomore Mark Martin (Sauquoit, N.Y.) for the 3-0 advantage.
The Jackets threatened in the bottom half of the frame as sophomore K.J. White (Wilbraham, Mass.) doubled to right center and advanced to third on a groundout, however, he was stranded there and Davis had a quick next two to complete the shutout.
Davis improved to 4-1 on the year tossing all nine innings scattering eight hits while striking out eight and not allowing a walk. Gentile was dealt the loss to fall to 0-3 on the year after tossing the first five frames allowing two runs on two hits with six walks and a pair of strikeouts.
The Jackets outhit the visitors in game-one by an 8-5 count with Geffert pacing the offense with a 3-for-4 effort as he finished the day 5-for-8 overall.
The two squads return to action tomorrow with a double header starting at noon where only the first game is a conference divisional match-up.
