Baseball completes sweep of Bridgeport

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College baseball team earned a thrilling 4-3 walk-off victory and followed with a dominating 8-1 win over the University of Bridgeport on Saturday, April 8.

AIC is now 10-16 on the season.

Bridgeport jumped out to a 2-0 lead in game one thanks to a two-run single in the second by Marcos Dominguez. AIC clawed one back the following inning on a sacrifice fly by Josh Frometa, but in the sixth, the Purple Knights regained their two-run edge on an RBI single by Christian Ortiz. 

Down to their final two outs, the Yellow Jackets took advantage of a dropped fly ball to bring a run in, as Cruz went three bases on the miscue and Josh Frometa drove him in with a sacrifice fly. That left AIC needing a run, and no room to spare, but Jackson Haker was the man at the dish, and AIC's leading hitter made no mistake, launching a no-doubt shot to left to tie the game. Kiernan Caffrey followed with a double, and Austin Bequeath followed with a single up the middle, plating Caffrey for the walk-off win.

Haker made sure the Yellow Jackets needed no drama in game two; he opened the scoring in the first with an RBI double, and added a sacrifice fly in the third as part of a two-run frame. He then put up an RBI single in the fifth, which was followed with a Chad Lavelle RBI double, and saved his most impressive hit for last, a bases-clearing three-run double off the base of the wall in right in the sixth to put AIC up 8-0.

Jay Chiapetta was equally impressive in game two, going the distance and allowing one unearned run across a complete-game four hitter, fanning five and not issuing a walk. He completed the seven-inning showing throwing just 79 pitches, 52 of which were strikes. 

The Yellow Jackets close out the three-game homestand Tuesday, April 11 at 3:30 p.m. against the University of New Haven.