SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - Down 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth with a runner on, sophomore right fielder
Matt Krause put
one over the fence to give the American International College baseball team 2-1 walk-off victory in Game Two of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against Southern Connecticut State University on Saturday, April 28.
FAST FACTS:
Game One:
Final score: AIC 2, Southern Connecticut State 13
Winning pitcher: Samuel Nepiarsky, Southern Connecticut (4-4).
Losing pitcher: Joe Pepe, AIC (4-4).
Game Two:
Final score: AIC 2, Southern Connecticut State 1
Winning pitcher: Jason Coscio, AIC (3-6).
Losing Pitcher: Jake Santamaria, Southern Connecticut (0-2).
Records: AIC moves to 17-23 on the year with an 8-14 mark in the NE10; Southern Connecticut is now 18-20 overall with a 2-10 mark in conference play.
Location: Bedard Field
STATS LEADERS:
Game One:
AIC:
Matt Costanza: (3-for-4, one RBI)
Reed Phillips: (3-for-4, one RBI)
Matt Krause (2-for-4)
Josh Aviles (2-for-4)
Joe Pepe (6.2 innings pitched, two earned runs, 10 hits, 10 strikeouts)
Southern Connecticut State:
John Spoto: (2-for-2, two RBI, double, triple)
Nolan Cloutier: (2-for-6, two RBI, double)
Nick Lamberti: (3-for-5, two RBI, double)
Ethan Joyce: (3-for-5, one RBI)
Mike Giordano: (3-for-4, two walks)
Game Two:
AIC:
Matt Krause: (1-for-4, two RBI, one home run)
Will Johnson: (2-for-3)
Brendan Carter: (1-for-3, stolen base)
Joe Kemlage (8.1 innings pitched, one earned run, three hits, six strikeouts)
Southern Connecticut State:
Mike Giordano: (2-for-3)
Connor Redahan: (one RBI)
Griffin Bemer: (8.0 innings pitched, no earned runs, six hits, five strikeouts)
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Game One:
- The Yellow Jackets took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when redshirt junior left fielder Reed Phillips singled through the right side to score sophomore designated hitter Matt Costanza. The Owls would then take a 2-1 lead off a two-RBI double from Nick Lamberti in the top of the third. AIC would tie things up in the next half inning due off an RBI single from Costanza.
- In the top of the sixth, the Owls would reclaim the lead when Anthony Zambito reached on a throwing error to score Mike Giordano.
- Adding one more run in the top of the seventh, Southern Connecticut opened up the game with a five-run eighth inning to hold a comfortable 9-2 cushion.
- The Owls would add four more runs in the top of the ninth and cruise to a 13-2 victory in the first game.
Game Two:
- A scoreless tie was broken up in the top of the fourth inning when Connor Redahan grounded out to score Nick Lamberti and give the Owls the 1-0 lead. In the next four frames, AIC freshman starting pitcher Joe Kemlage allowed just three hits to help keep AIC within one run of the lead.
- In the top of the eighth with one out, redshirt senior pitcher Jason Coscio would enter in relief for Kemlage, recording a total of five outs to keep the score at 1-0 going into the bottom of the ninth.
- Having their last three outs to make a rally, a leadoff single up the middle from Costanza would start the rally for the Yellow Jackets. In the next at bat, Krause would take a pitch deep over the left-center part of the fence to give the Yellow Jackets the 2-1 walk-off win.
BUZZWORTHY:
- Krause's walk-off home run marked his first home run of the season. The sophomore is also on a seven-game hitting streak.
- Kemlage set a career-high in innings pitched in a game with 8.1. Kemlage's six strikeouts marks the fourth time the freshman has recorded six or more strikeouts in a game this season.
- Johnson has now had a multi-hit game in two contests this season. The first time he did so came against Adelphi University on April 22.
- Redshirt sophomore starting pitcher Joe Pepe hit double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his career, doubling his previous single-game high of five.
- With the Yellow Jackets' 17th win of the year, AIC surpassed its win total from the 2017 season (16) with five games remaining.
COACH'S CORNER:
- "You don't replicate that excitement unless you're in the playoffs," said AIC baseball head coach Nick Callini. "For us, that essentially was a playoff game - we really came into these winning to win these two series to give us a chance. So to be in that situation and win that one in that fashion, it was unreal."
- "He threw well," Callini said about Kemlage's start. "We talked about making some adjustments and he was really able to implement it. Really, the biggest key was getting ahead of hitters and being able to throw strikes. Those two things led to him being able to dominate the counts and force much weaker contact. He did it right from pitch one, so credit to him for making some adjustments. It's exciting to see him put it all together and pick this team up when we needed it."
PLAYER'S CORNER:
- "I knew I hit it well, but I didn't have a home run yet this year, so I wasn't banking on anything," Krause said. "But I had a feeling it was going out, and thank God it didIt's a huge momentum boost. We don't have too many games we can drop if we want to make the playoffs, so that's a big win after dropping the first one. Now we've got to go get that second one tomorrow."
NEXT UP:
- With the series victory on the line, AIC and Southern Connecticut State will battle in the finale on Sunday, April 29, with first pitch set for 12 p.m.
- Prior to the game, the Yellow Jackets will honorthe team's graduating seniors for Senior Day.
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.
