SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College softball team took on the College of Saint Rose in a doubleheader on Wednesday, March 29 at Judy Groff Field. Saint Rose took both games, by scores of 9-3 and 8-5.
A big game on the mound and at the plate by Dana Nicoletti led the Golden Knights to victory in the first game of the doubleheader. The opening game got off to a hot start offensively with Saint Rose scoring a run in the first inning due to an error by AIC right fielder Ashley Hughes. Hughes committed an initial error that put Saint Rose shortstop Carly Wood on first base. From there, Wood stole second and then scored on another error by Hughes.
AIC didn't respond until the bottom of the second inning when designated hitter Kaley Kempf walked to start the inning. After that, catcher Jamie Mainez singled to left and Alexa DiLeo doubled, scoring Kempf. Then Mainez scored on a single by Kristen Steele and that concluded the scoring for the inning, with AIC holding a 2-1 lead.
Saint Rose responded immediately by tying the game in the third inning. Nicoletti singled to get things started and then got batted in by a Wood double.
Nicoletti got things started again in the fifth for Saint Rose with a single to left field. She then was batted in by Astasia Myler.
The big inning for Saint Rose came in its following at bat as Taylor Solomon got things started with a single, then Sydney Cimini walked. After that, Jillian Bedard came in to pitch for Alyssa Camargo, and the first batter she faced was Jadyn Costello, who hit a three-run homer and put the dagger in AIC's hearts.
AIC grabbed one run back in the bottom of the sixth as Mainez doubled and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Kayla Riley.
Saint Rose ensured victory by tacking on three more runs in the seventh. Myler got things started with a single to right center, then she reached second on a wild pitch and was batted in by a Kayla Bancroft single. Bancroft scored on an error by third baseman Riley which allowed Solomon to get on base. Solomon reached second on a wild pitch and was then batted in by Cimini and that concluded the scoring for the game.
AIC threatened for a little bit in its final at bat as it got runners on first and third, but ultimately left them there and the game ended at 9-3. Nicoletti picked up the win for the Golden Knights and Camargo picked up the loss for the Yellow Jackets.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Bedard started on the hill for the Yellow Jackets and Roma Mazzariello started for the Golden Knights.
Nicoletti got things started again for Saint Rose with a bunt single. Then Nicoletti stole second and scored when Wood grounded into a double-play.
Bedard shut out Saint Rose in the second and third but then got tatted in the fourth inning. Jadyn Costello reached first on an error by Yami Lopez-Perez. Then she reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder's choice which also got Victoria Hallet on base. Katie Shevlin got on base for the Golden Knights due to an error by AIC second baseman Sarah Baganz and then with the bases loaded Nicoletti struck again. She singled to center and scored Hallett and Solomon. Then a double from Bowen scored Shevlin and got Nicoletti to third and that signaled the curtains for Bedard. Sarah Beliveau came in to pitch and gave up one more run before closing out the inning.
In the fifth, the Golden Knights tacked on another. Hallett got on with an infield single and then got in scoring position via a groundout by Jones. Nicoletti came through for Saint Rose again with a huge two-out single that scored Hallett.
AIC found consolation in their half of the fifth inning when Kristen Steele got on base with a walk and got in scoring position when Hughes grounded out. Baganz singled to center afterwards and Hughes scored.
Saint Rose got the run right back in the sixth when Myler got on with an infield single and then got batted in by Solomon, another big two-out hit for the Golden Knights.
Jess Lingenberg came in for Kempf at third base and led off the bottom of the sixth with a double to right-center. Then Lopez-Perez reached on an error by Saint Rose second baseman Solomon and Lingenberg got to third. A sac fly from Riley got Lingenberg to score and Lopez-Perez reached second. A fielder's choice on a ground ball to third loaded the bases and then a wild pitch allowed Lopez-Perez to score for the Yellow Jackets. An infield single from Baganz scored Ashley Barile and then a wild pitch got Steele to score as well, which put them back in the game, but capped off the scoring for the Yellow Jackets.
The comeback stopped there and neither team added any more runs in the seventh inning. Saint Rose swept AIC and Mazzariello picked up the win and Nicoletti picked up the save for the Golden Knights. Bedard got the loss for AIC.
AIC will next be in action on Thursday, March 30, for a doubleheader against the University of Bridgeport at Judy Groff Field. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.
