SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College baseball team has tied its win total from last year after splitting a doubleheader against Adelphi University on Saturday, April 22 at Bedard Field, losing the first game by a score of 8-2 and winning the second, 4-2.
Adelphi's pitching staff was on point in Game One, only allowing two runs in the bottom of the ninth. It was the Panthers who struck first in the third inning, with a double to left field that brought a runner in from second base. The next hitter smashed another double to left field, this time scoring two runs to give Adelphi a 3-0 lead.
Adelphi scored two more runs in the fifth, with a fielding error allowing a runner to advance from third, and a single to center field scoring the other run, making it 5-0 Panthers. Three more runs came in to score for the visitors in the eight, as a long single brought a run into score, making it 6-0. A wild pitch brought the seventh run for Adelphi, while a single past the shortstop gave Adelphi a 8-0 edge.
The Yellow Jackets finally found a spark in the bottom of the ninth, with Mike Wroth walking with two outs. Eugene Quirk followed up with a single, putting Yellow Jackets on first and second. Andrew Ciacciareli doubled to center field, driving in both runners, making it 8-2 before a ground out ended the game.
Jason Coscio (L, 1-4) was given the start, going four innings while picking up the loss. Coscio gave up five hits and three runs, while posting two strikeouts. Dean Streich was the first of six relief pitchers, pitching an inning were he gave up two hits, two runs, none earned and one strike out. JD LeHouiller pitched the next two innings, allowing four hits. John O'Donnell pitched 0.1 of an inning, where he allowed one hit, one run and one earned run. Anthony Crudale faced two batters where he let up two hits, two runs and one walk. Brendan LaVallee then pitched 0.2 innings, where he gave up one hit and struck out one batter. Tanner Brakken pitched the final frame, giving up one hit and two walks with one strikeout.
The Jackets were the first to score in game two, were in the bottom of the fourth Josh Aviles started off with a single up the middle. With two outs, Aviles stole second to set up a RBI single to center field by Mike Wroth to give AIC a 1-0 lead. Adelphi countered with a run of their own in the fifth inning, as a ground-rule double scored a runner from second base, tying the game 1-1.
AIC, not wanting to fall behind to the Panthers, the Jackets exploded in the bottom of the fifth with three runs. Matt Costanza walked with an out, while Brendan Carter singled past the third baseman to put Jackets on first and second. KJ White slammed a double down the left field line with two outs to score Costanza from second, making it 2-1 Yellow Jackets. Not wanting the fire to die down, Matt Krause sent a hard-hit double down the right field line, scoring White and Carter, pushing the score to 4-1 AIC.
In the eighth inning Adelphi was able to score one more run, seeing a sac fly score a run from third to make it 4-2.
The Yellow Jacket's pitching took over in the later portion of the game, shutting out the Panthers for the rest of the contest.
Cam Winiarz (W, 1-3) started the second game, going six full innings where he only let up three hits, one run, one walk and struck out one batter. Dean Streich pitched 1.2 innings, letting up three hits with no earned runs while striking out two batters. Joe Pepe (Save, 3) pitched the remaining 1.1 innings as he picked up his third, and team-leading, save of the year. Pepe gave up just one hit, one walk and struck out two batters.
AIC takes on Adelphi on Sunday, April 23 at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. for another doubleheader.
