Marcano's grand start to March helps Baseball over Bridgeport

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina - The American International College baseball team took an early lead and kept adding on to power past the University of Bridgeport 11-4 on Friday, March 1.

AIC is now 2-6 on the season. 

The Yellow Jackets scored two runs in the first as Kiernan Caffrey singled, Richie Segura reached on an error, and Josh Frometa walked to pack the bases. Chad Lavelle hit a grounder to second that was also booted, allowing the two lead runners to score. Bridgeport scored an unearned run in the home half to cut the gap to 2-1, but AIC kept going in the second. Shea Cucinotta singled, as did Brendan Edvardsen, which plated Cucinotta. Caffrey added another single to move Edvardsen to third. Haker hit a sacrifice fly to bring the score to 4-1. Again, Bridgeport scored an unearned run in the bottom half, leaving AIC ahead 4-2.

After several scoreless innings, the fifth saw AIC add to the lead. Segura led off with a single and Frometa followed with a double. Lavelle hit a sacrifice fly and Marcano knocked an RBI groundout, giving AIC a 6-2 lead. Bridgeport loaded the bases in the bottom half, but AIC was able to get out of it by forcing a flyout.

Caffrey led off the sixth with a triple, and Frometa knocked him in with another double. Bridgeport bounced back with an RBI fielder's choice, and then appeared to draw within one on a three-run home run, but the umpires ruled that the second baserunner did not tag home plate. The end result was that only one run counted on the play and the inning ended with Bridgeport down 7-4 instead of 7-6.

The last scoring of the game came on a properly-executed longball in the eighth. Segura and Frometa worked back-to-back walks and Lavelle singled to put Marcano at the dish and he delivered his first collegiate grand slam for the 11-4 final.

Nick Balcom earned his first win with the Yellow Jackets on five frames of six-hit ball, fanning six. Romel Roca picked up the save with 3.2 sparkling innings, striking out two and allowing just one hit.

The two teams continue the series on Saturday, March 2 at 1:00 p.m.