WEST HAVEN, Connecticut - A two-run home run in the first inning from freshman catcher Anthony Clark and a complete-game shutout thrown by freshman starting pitcher Matt Costanza propelled the American International College baseball team past the No. 6 University of New Haven on Friday, March 30, for the Yellow Jackets' third straight win.

FAST FACTS:
Final score: AIC 2, New Haven 0
Winning pitcher: Matt Costanza, AIC (2-2). Losing pitcher: David Palmer (5-1).
Records: AIC improves to 12-10 overall and 3-3 in conference play; New Haven falls to 18-3 and 3-3 in conference.
Location: Frank Vieira Field

STATS LEADERS:
AIC:
Anthony Clark (1-for-4, one home run, two RBI)
Matt Costanza (9.0 innings pitched, no runs, six hits, six strikeouts)

New Haven:
David Palmer (9.0 innings pitched, two earned runs, seven hits, six strikeouts)
Matt Chamberlain (2-for-4, one double)

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• AIC got its offense early, starting with a single to right field by sophomore right fielder Matt Krause. That was followed by a two-run home run from Clark, his second homer of the year, to put AIC up 2-0 in the top of the first.
• From there, Costanza kept the New Haven bats quiet, allowing just six hits over the course of nine innings.
• The Chargers threatened in the bottom of the eighth, with pinch hitter George Pappas hitting a double to lead off the inning. Matt Chamberlain then hit a double with one out, but Pappas would be held up at third. A fly ball in the next-at bat was caught by a diving AIC junior center fielder Josh Aviles, who then threw the ball to freshman second baseman Angel Mendez, who was covering second base to complete the double play (video).
• Costanza had a 1-2-3 ninth inning to preserve the shutout, capped off by a swinging strikeout.

BUZZWORTHY:

• Clark's two-run homer marked the first earned runs that Palmer has allowed all season in 44 innings pitched.
• This is the first time AIC has shut out an opponent this season; it is also the first time this season that New Haven has been shut out.
• Costanza now has two complete games this season and became the first to pitch a complete-game shutout.
• Clark is the only player on AIC with multiple home runs this season.
• AIC improves to a perfect 2-0 in the NE10's Southwest Division.

COACH'S CORNER:

• "It's about as good a game as you can play," said AIC baseball head coach Nick Callini. "I think minus one or two plays, and maybe one or two at batsother than that, it started with Matt on the mound, he threw the ball really well, he had all three pitches working for him. And we just made plays behind himright up until the eighth inning, when Josh made that diving catch that turned into a double play to kill their second and third with one out."
• "They're a really good team," Callini added. "Palmer threw really well - we scored two runs on one hit. Other than that, he threw shutout ball for eight innings. He's going to be really good all year and they're going to be really good. For usit's not about who we're playing, it's about how we play. If we play the baseball that we're capable of playing, we all feel that we can compete with anybody. And today we did that."

PLAYERS' CORNER:

• "That was great," Costanza said. "We've still got to remember that we've got two more games to go get them, but that was a great way to set the tone and let them know that we're not here to mess around, and that we can compete with any team we play with."
• "I just knew he was a good arm, so I was looking for the fastball early, and I got it," Clark said. "I just took a good swingI think we're a great group, we're molding really well, and I think we can play with anyone."

NEXT UP:

• AIC returns to West Haven for a doubleheader with the Chargers on Saturday, March 31, with first pitch set for 12 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC baseball team, follow @AIC_baseball on Instagram. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow @AICAthletics on Twitter and Instagram, and like AIC Yellow Jackets on Facebook.