Rally falls short as Eckerd earns split with Baseball

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida - A late comeback came up short as the American International College baseball team settled for a split after dropping the finale of a two-game set at Eckerd College 9-6 on Wednesday, March 12. 

AIC is now 5-5 on the season.

The Yellow Jackets struck first, as Brendan Edvardsen led off with an infield single and Nick Serce drove him home with a double, but a three-run shot in the bottom of the first staked the Tritons to a 3-1 lead.

In the second, AIC grabbed another run as Yeudy Ramirez walked, stole second, and took third on an errant throw before Cole Patterson singled to bring him in. Once again, however, the home squad answered the one with three, combining three walks, a double, and a single to lead 6-2 after two.

The third saw AIC pick up another score. Leandro Guevara was hit by a pitch, Ramirez singled, and Kiernan Caffrey walked to load the bases; Guevara scampered home on a wild pitch.

The Tritons added to their advantage in the fifth, pushing another three across to take a 9-3 lead.

As they had the day prior, AIC did not flinch at the deficit. Guevara doubled and Josh Frometa singled to start the seventh, and a Caffrey RBI groundout and Richie Segura base hit pushed the respective runners home, allowing AIC to shrink the deficit to 9-5. 

In the ninth, Frometa and Caffrey both generated hits, and a Segura single scored Frometa and brought the tying run to the plate. This time, though, the Tritons escaped, drawing a game-ending double play on the next hitter.

AIC will turn the page and play Saint Leo University to round out the road trip on Thursday, March 13.