SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Sophomore Alexa DiLeo (Cheshire, Conn.) went 4-for-5 on the day with a double and a homer to lead American International College to a doubleheader split with Post University, losing 6-1 before winning 9-5, in non-conference softball action this afternoon from Judy Groff Field.
In game one, Post (6-11) opened the scoring in the top of the first as junior Erica Ragazzone (Philadelphia, Pa.) belted a towering three-run homer to deep left field for the 3-0 edge.
AIC (6-6) threatened in the bottom of the second as senior Lyndsey Letourneau (Paxton, Mass.) tripled down the right field line with one out, however, senior Samantha Esque (Springfield, Pa.) induced a fly-ball to left field and Letourneau was doubled-up at home attempting to tag and score to close the frame.
Ragazzone padded the lead in the ensuing half inning for the Eagles with a run-producing single to right field before senior Kayla Kresley (Alburtis, Pa.) knocked in a pair with a double off the centerfield fence for the 6-0 edge in the top of the fourth.
The Jackets eventually got on the board as DiLeo blasted her first round-tripper of the season to left in the bottom of the fifth for the 6-1 score. AIC threatened for more during their last at-bats as senior Ainslee Penfield (Greenfield, Mass.) singled to left and DiLeo walked, but Post closed the door for the game-one victory.
Esque tossed all seven innings scattering six hits and allowing just the single run to move to 5-3 on the year while junior Jillian Bedard (Meriden, Conn.) absorbed the loss to fall to 0-3 on the year after hurling the first four frames surrendering all six runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and three free passes.
Junior Alyssa Camargo (Covina, Calif.) pitched the final three innings without surrendering a run while scattering three hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
The visitors doubled-up the hosts in hits, 12-6, in the opener.
In the finale, AIC broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning as sophomore Jamie Mainez (Redlands, Calif.) singled through the left side with the bases-loaded to plate DiLeo who singled earlier in the frame for the 1-0 edge.
The Jackets offense then erupted sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring six runs in the bottom of the fourth for the 7-0 margin. Penfield singled home a pair before DiLeo ripped an RBI double and two more runners crossed home off a wild pitch and an error before Letourneau's run-producing base-knock closed the scoring in the inning.
Post fought back in the fifth scoring five runs of their own while batting around. Senior Kailin Iacomini (Pleasant Valley, N.Y.) highlighted the effort with a two-run single to right for the 7-5 deficit.
AIC continued to swing the bats well as freshman Sarah Baganz (Kingston, N.Y.) tripled down the right field line in the bottom half of the fifth to score a pair and push the lead to 9-5.
Sophomore Sarah Beliveau (Bristol, Conn.) secured the victory improving to 2-1 on the season after surrendering five runs (two earned) on five hits with 10 strikeouts over the first six innings. Camargo worked herself into a bit of trouble in the seventh, but fanned the final two hitters to pick up her first save of the season and lower her earned run average to 0.67 which is tops in the NE-10 after four scoreless innings on the day.
Penfield finished the day a combined 3-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in and scored while Baganz turned in a 2-for-3 performance in game-two as AIC outhit the visitors 9-7.
The Jackets close out their six-game home stand with a twin bill against Saint Anselm Saturday, Mar. 19 at Groff Field. First pitch with the Hawks is scheduled for high-noon.
