WEST HAVEN, Conn. The American International College baseball team dropped a pair of close games to the University of New Haven, 5-4 and 5-2, in a Northeast-10 Southwest Divisional double-header this afternoon from Frank Vieira Field.
AIC drops to 6-15 on the year and 0-3 in the Southwest Division following the weekend sweep while UNH improves to 8-8 overall and 3-0 in divisional action.
The Jackets opened the scoring in game one with a pair of runs in the top of the second on an RBI double to left center from senior Mike Coyne (El Cajon, Calif.) and classmate Eddie Ritch (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) followed with a run-producing base-knock of his own to left for the 2-0 edge.
The Charges responded quickly in their half of the second doubling up AIC with a four run frame highlighted with a two-run triple from junior Nick Russo (Shirley, N.Y.) for the 4-2 advantage.
AIC edged closer in the seventh as junior Chris Starcun (Easthampton, Mass.) lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score senior Karl Kapinos (South Hadley, Mass.) who tripled one batter earlier for the 4-3 deficit.
Then in the eighth, American International tied the contest without the benefit of a hit as a batter reached on a strikeout/passed ball and worked his way to third on another passed ball and a wild pitch before crossing home on wild pitch for the 4-4 tie.
Kapinos then led off the ninth with a double, but was stranded as junior southpaw Kellen Croce (Middlebury, Conn.) sat down the next three batters in order to preserve the tie heading into the last half inning.
That's where UNH again walked-off for the second straight game against the Yellow Jackets as junior Nick Perrelli (North Branford, Conn.) laced an RBI single over the head of a drawn in outfield with runners on second and third for the 5-4 final.
Senior Derek Azzopardi (Redwood City, Calif.) was dealt the loss to fall to 0-1 on the season after hurling 1.1 innings allowing the winning run, an unearned run, on one hit with one walk. Classmate Harrison Paige (Springfield, Mass.) didn't factor in the decision after tossing seven plus innings allowing four runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.
Croce picked up the victory for UNH after striking out six over two innings allowing just a single unearned run to move to 3-1 on the year.
Kapinos and Ritch had a pair of hits apiece as New Haven held the slim 9-8 edge in hits for game one.
The Chargers opened the scoring in the first inning of game two as senior TJ Riccio (Port Jeff Station, N.Y.) knocked in a run with a single, but AIC sophomore Alex LaFayette (Ludlow, Mass.) crossed home off a balk in the second for the 1-1 tie.
Problems continued for UNH starter senior Luke Foster (Stonington, Conn.) as he balked home another run in the fourth inning as Starcun was able to trot home after doubling earlier in the frame for the 2-1 lead.
New Haven fought back as they have all weekend to regain the lead in as they scored a pair of runs in both the bottom of the fifth and sixth for the 5-2 advantage.
Sophomore lefty Nick Kennedy (Longmeadow, Mass.) was dealt the loss after allowing three runs (one earned) on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts to fall to 2-3 on the year.
The Chargers outhit the Jackets 13-7 in the finale while Starcun and junior K.J. White (Wilbraham, Mass.) collected a pair of hits each.
AIC next plays on Wednesday as they host Saint Rose in Northeast-10 Southwest Divisional action from Bedard Field with first-pitch scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
