SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts The American International College softball team played its first home games in 687 days on Sunday, March 14, splitting a doubleheader with Stonehill College, winning 7-6 and falling 4-3 in eight innings.

FAST FACTS:
Final Score: AIC 7, Stonehill 6; Stonehill 4, AIC 3 (F/8)
Records: AIC starts the year 1-1, while Stonehill moves to 1-3
Location: Judy Groff Field, Springfield, Massachusetts

PITCHING DECISIONS:
Game One:
Win: Alexis Jimenez 1-0 (5.0 IP, 4 R [2 ER], 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K)
Loss: Julia Perrone 0-1 (1.0 IP, 5 R, 5 H, 2 BB)
Save: Kacie Allison 1 (2.0 IP, 2 R [0 ER], 1 H)

Game Two:
Win: Kelly Mayette 1-1 (2.2 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 2 K)
Loss: Chloe Jones 0-1 (3.1 IP, 1 R [0 ER], 3 H, 2 BB, 2 K)
Save: Julia Perrone 1 (0.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB)

KEY STATS:
Game One:
AIC:
Bonnie Kennedy: 1-for-3, one run, one walk
Kody Gora: 2-for-4, one double, one run
Alexis Jimenez: 1-for-3, one double, three RBI
Kacie Allison: 2-for-3, three RBI

Stonehill:
Julia Peronne: 2-for-4, one double, one run
Genna Hartman: 1-for-4, one double, two RBI
Maille Bennett: 1-for-3, one run, one RBI

Game Two:
AIC:
Bonnie Kennedy: 2-for-4
Alexis Jimenez: 2-for-4
Kacie Allison: 2-for-3, one home run, three RBI

Stonehill:
Hannah Ricker: 2-for-5, one run
Marissa Dwyer: 1-for-2, two runs, two walks
Genna Hartman: 2-for-4

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• AIC exploded in the first frame offensively, batting around. Senior Bonnie Kennedy walked, and a bunt single by senior Jalia Santos put the first two batters on. Senior Brianna Rivera loaded the bases two batters later with another walk, setting up junior Victoria Andrade to single and drive in Kennedy. Sophomore Alexis Jimenez then drove a double down the line and emptied the bases, scoring herself on a single by senior Kacie Allison.
• A hit batter, two errors, and a hit in the second gave Stonehill its first run, and the Skyhawks kept chipping away, scoring twice in the third on a pair of doubles and a single, and one more in the fourth on a walk, wild pitch, and error to get within a 5-4 margin.
• In the fifth, AIC responded offensively, as freshman Kodi Gora doubled and Andrade was hit by a pitch; both ultimately came in on another hit by Allison to give AIC a 7-4 lead.
• Errors hurt AIC again in the sixth as a mistake allowed a runner to reach, and after a single and a hit batter, a dropped fly ball plated a pair. However, Allison, who came in to pitch at the start of the inning, snared a liner to end the threat.
• In the seventh, Allison finished the job Jimenez had started, drawing a groundout and two flyouts to close the 7-6 victory.
• In the second game, the Skyhawks struck first, as a single and an error combined to bring a run in in the second frame.
• A leadoff walk in the top of the fourth proved fruitful for the Skyhawks as Marissa Dwyer advanced on a groundout, wild pitch, and groundout to score Stonehill's second run.
• In the fifth, a bunt single and stolen base set the stage for another Stonehill run, which came home on an error to make the score 3-0.
• In the home half of the sixth, AIC finally came alive; Rivera and Jimenez singled, and two batters later, Allison launched a pitch over the left field fence to tie the game.
• The game needed extras to decide things and the Skyhawks took a 4-3 edge in the eighth as a pair of singles and a fielding error allowed a run to score.
• AIC threatened to steal the game in the home half, loading the bases, but could not find the way to scoring in the 4-3 setback.

DRIVE THEM IN:

• Allison collected a combined six RBI on the day.
• In AIC's nine games in the shortened 2020 season, only Andrade had more RBI (seven) across all games than Allison did in the first pair of games in 2021.

NEXT UP:

• The Yellow Jackets continue the home slate against The College of Saint Rose on March 20-21 with a four-game set; two games are scheduled for each day at 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m., respectively.
• The games will be streamed live on the NE10 Now Network. Per NE10 regulations, no outside spectators are permitted.