FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida - The American International College baseball team split a doubleheader on Friday, March 6, falling 9-0 to No. 24 Nova Southeastern University before winning a wacky 8-7 victory in 11 innings in a nonconference battle with Stonehill College.

FAST FACTS:
Final score:No. 24 Nova Southeastern 9, AIC 0
Records:AIC falls to 0-3 overall; Nova Southeastern is now 10-10 overall.
Location:NSU Sports Complex Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Final score:AIC 8, Stonehill 7
Records:AIC improves to 1-3 overall; Stonehill is now 4-4 overall.
Location:NSU Sports Complex Fort Lauderdale, Florida

STATS LEADERS:
Game One vs Nova Southeastern:
AIC:
Angel Mendez: 1-for-1
Brandon Gaul: 1-for-3, three innings pitched, one hit, one run, two strikeouts
Matt Costanza: Loss (0-1), five innings pitched, seven earned runs, three strikeouts, no walks

#24 Nova Southeastern:
Brandon Chinea: 3-for-4, two runs, two RBI
Andrew Labosky: 3-for-4, three RBI
Duncan Pastore: 2-for-4, two runs
Alex Hernandez: 2-for-4, two runs
Tyler Epstein: 1-for-3, two RBI, one run
JP Williams: Win (1-2), five innings pitched, one hit, no runs, seven strikeouts, no walks

Game Two vs. Stonehill:
AIC:
Shawn Boston: 2-for-4, three runs, one RBI, two stolen bases
Matt Krause: 1-for-2, two walks, four RBI
Brandon Gaul: 1-for-1, two RBI
Angel Mendez: 2-for-3, two runs, one double
Titus Kaewthong: 2-for-3, two runs, two walks
Joe Kemlage: 6.0 innings pitched, no hits, no runs, 10 strikeouts, four walks
Ethan Teixeira: Win (1-0), 1.0 innings pitched, no hits, one unearned run, two walks

Stonehill:
Aidan Wilde: 1-for-6, one double, three RBI
Mike Swanholm: 1-for-4, one home run, two runs, two RBI
Matt Donlan: 1-for-3, one home run, two runs
Brendan Kelly: Loss (1-2), 1.1 innings pitched, three runs (two earned), three hits, three walks, one strikeout

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Game One vs. Nova Southeastern:

• The Sharks got to business in the bottom of the first. With two outs, they used back-to-back doubles to take a 1-0 lead.
• Sophomore Brandon Gaul singled up the middle to start the third inning, but the Sharks retired the next three hitters.
• In the bottom half of the inning, Nova Southeastern had runners on second and third when Andrew Labosky doubled to right center and drove two runs in.
• After adding a run in the fourth, the home team plated five runs on four hits to take a 9-0 lead.
• Junior Angel Mendez smacked the lone Yellow Jacket extra base-hit in the top of the seventh with a two-out double, but it was not enough as the Sharks took the game 9-0.

Game Two vs. Stonehill:

• Junior Joe Kemlage stepped on the mound to start the game and struck out the first two hitters before getting the cleanup hitter to fly out to center on a 1-2 pitch.
• Senior Shawn Boston wore a 1-2 pitch and headed to first. He attempted to steal second, and the throw to second was wild, allowing him to end up at third. Classmate Matt Krause singled up the middle and drove Boston in.
• In the bottom of the third frame, redshirt freshman Titus Kaewthong drove a 2-2 pitch up the middle for a one-out single. With two outs, Krause walked on four straight pitches and gave the Yellow Jackets runners at first and second. Sophomore Cam Defeo singled up the middle and Kaewthong rounded third and scored on the play. After three innings, the Yellow Jackets led 2-0.
• Two frames later, Boston hit a one-out single to right. Just like the first inning, Boston swiped second and a throwing error allowed him to advance to third. Krause hit a towering fly ball that stayed in the park but allowed Boston to tag from third.
• The Skyhawks had a runner on third in the seventh when Mike Swanholm picked up Stonehill's first hit of the game in emphatic fashion, drilling one deep to left center to make it a 3-2 game.
• In the top of the ninth, Donlan went deep to left field on a 1-2 pitch with two outs to tie the game at three.
• In the top of the 10^th, the Skyhawks had the bases loaded with no outs and Krause on the bump. Krause struck out the next two hitters. After falling behind 2-0 to Aidan Wilde, Krause battled back to make the count full. Wilde drove the next pitch to left field and cleared the bases as he ended up at second, giving the Skyhawks a 6-3 lead.
• Mendez led the bottom frame off with a hit by pitch. After a strikeout, Kaewthong took the first pitch strike but watch the next four balls go by for a walk. With Boston at the plate, Matt Smith threw a wild pitch and Mendez and Kaewthong each advanced; Boston eventually drew a walk. Krause dug into the box and watched ball four pass and recorded an RBI as Mendez scored. With two outs, Gaul sent the eighth pitch of the at-bat to right field and tied the game as Kaewthong and Boston scored.
• Stonehill again threatened in the 11th, with a hit batter and a walk putting two on with one out. After a popout to short, a wild pitch put those runners in scoring position, and another walk loaded the bags again. Stonehill regained the lead on a passed ball before a lineout ended the half of the inning.
• AIC opened the bottom half with a bang, as senior Andrew Ciacciarelli walked and Mendez singled to put two on with none out. After a flyout, Kaewthong walked to load the bases and Boston drove the first pitch he saw through the left side to level the score again at 7-7. Krause came to the plate again, and this time he ended it, hitting a 1-1 pitch deep to right and scoring Kaewthong from third to win the contest 8-7.

NEXT UP:

• The Yellow Jackets continue their Florida trip with a 1 p.m. first pitch at Lynn University on Saturday, March 7..

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC baseball team, follow@AIC_baseballonInstagram. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticson Twitter and Instagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.