SPRINGFIELD, Mass. The American International College baseball team used a walk-off win in game one to split a Northeast-10 Southwest Divisional Senior Day double-header against Pace University this afternoon from Bedard Field.
AIC see's their season come to an end at 12-24 and 6-12 in divisional action while Pace will have a share of the divisional crown and will compete in next week's Northeast-10 Championship tournament after a 28-20 overall record and 11-7 mark in the NE-10 Southwest.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the last inning of game one, AIC needed a little magic to send the seniors off in fashion and that they did. After manufacturing a runner to second base with a hit-by-pitch and sacrifice bunt junior K. J. White (Wilbraham, Mass.) singled up the middle and senior Tyler Geffert (Hopedale, Mass.) raced home with the tying run.
After another single and an intentional walk loaded the bases with only one out senior Mike Coyne (El Cajon, Calif.) stepped in and laced a 2-2 pitch into right center for the 5-4 walk-off victory.
The Setters took an early 3-0 lead after two innings in the in the opening game before the Jackets got a pair back in the bottom of the second. Senior Karl Kapinos (South Hadley, Mass.) singled to open the inning and crossed home on a single up the middle from freshman Josh Aviles (Naugatuck, Conn.). On that same play senior Brett Bohl (Ludlow, Mass.) scored all the way from first on a throwing error by the center-fielder for the 3-2 deficit.
Pace got a run back in the top of the fourth on a wild pitch and AIC secured another tally on an RBI single by Geffert in the bottom of the fifth, but left the bases-loaded for the 4-3 score to set up the magical ninth-inning.
AIC outslugged the visitors in game one owning the 14-8 edge in hits as Coyne turned in a 3-for-5 performance while Kapinos, White and junior Chris Starcun (Easthampton, Mass.) all collected two hits apiece as every player in the starting line-up for the Jackets collected at least one hit.
Senior Colin Sledzik (Higganum, Conn.) really settled in nicely only allowing a single base-hit over the final five innings while improving to 3-4 on the year with his fourth complete game after allowing four runs while scattering eight hits and striking out six.
Ryan Aquino came in a pitched lights out for Pace over 3.1 innings as he allowed just four hits while striking out six, but did not factor in the decision as Anthony Criscione took the loss with the blown save to fall to 1-1 on the season.
In the finale AIC used the momentum from game one by jumping on the Setters early with a single run in the opening frame as Starcun produced an RBI single through the right side, but Pace responded in the top of the third with a two-out run-producing single for the 1-1 tie.
The Jackets then threatened in the bottom of the fourth as they loaded the bases with one out, but starting pitcher Mike Sweeney induced a 5-2-3 double-play ball to get out of the jam.
Pace then took advantage of a fielding error to record a pair of unearned runs in the top of the sixth before grabbing some insurance with two more in the top of the eighth highlighted with an RBI double to left by Frank Mayo and another RBI single in the ninth gave them the 6-1 lead.
Senior Brett Bohl (Ludlow, Mass.) gave the Jackets life in the ninth closing out his career with an RBI single up the middle for the 6-2 final.
Pace outhit the Jackets 11-6 in the finale as White was the only AIC batter with multiple hits with a pair of doubles.
Senior Brian Karp (Bellmore, N.Y.) was dealt the loss falling to 2-4 on the year after allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits with one strikeout and one free pass. Sweeny picked up the victory for the visitors to improve to 3-6 on the year.
SENIOR DAY PHOTO ALBUM
