WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Strong pitching was the key as American International College swept Nyack, 3-2 and 2-0, in a non-conference baseball double-header this afternoon from Palm Beach Atlantic's Rubin Park.
Junior Brian Karp (Bellemore, N.Y.) and sophomore south-paw Nick Kennedy (Longmeadow, Mass.) combined for 13 of the 14 innings played on the day on the bump to lead the way to the first sweep of the season for the Yellow Jackets.
In game one it was AIC (3-6) who took the early lead in the bottom of the second inning as senior Karl Kapinos (South Hadley, Mass.) led off with a bunt single to third and came around to score on sophomore Reed Phillips' (East Longmeadow, Mass.) slow chopper to second for the 1-0 edge.
The Jackets added on in the third as senior Eddie Ritch (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) opened the inning by singling through the left side and coming around to score two batters later on a sacrifice fly by classmate Tyler Geffert (Hopedale, Mass.) for the 2-0 advantage.
Nyack (1-8) got one of those runs back in the top of the fourth on a sacrifice fly of their own before Kapinos crossed home for the second time in the contest in the bottom half of the inning on a wild pitch after singling earlier in the frame for the 3-1 score.
The Warriors got back to within one run for a second time as sophomore Yoni Rodriguez (Pompano, Fla.) opened the fifth with a triple and scored on a fielder's choice one batter later for the 3-2 margin.
Karp picked up the victory to move to 1-1 on the season after tossing the first six innings allowing two earned runs on three hits with one walk and one strikeout as freshman Thomas Chapdelaine (East Longmeadow, Mass.) secured his second save of the season pitching the final frame without allowing a hit while fanning one.
Both Kapinos and junior K.J. White (Wilbraham, Mass.) turned in 2-for-3 performances at the dish as AIC outhit the visitors 8-3 in the opener.
Game two started a little slower for both squads before the Jackets loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit in the bottom of the third and recorded the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to center by Geffert for the 1-0 score.
AIC added to their lead in the fifth as Phillips led off with a single and came around to score on an error by the first-baseman on a ball hit by senior Brett Bohl (Ludlow, Mass.) for the 2-0 edge.
Nyack threatened in the final frame as they loaded the bases with two outs, but Kennedy sat down the final batter swinging to complete the shutout. He tossed all seven innings surrendering just five hits while striking out nine and walking just one to secure his first career victory and improve to 1-1 on the year.
Phillips had the only hit for AIC as the Warriors outslugged the Jackets in the finale 5-1, but left seven runners on-base.
AIC comes right back to Rubin Park tomorrow afternoon for a double-header against Palm Beach Atlantic with first-pitch set for 1 p.m.
