Softball splits wild home opener with Staten Island

SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College softball team played a two-game set with the College of Staten Island on Wednesday, March 20 that could be best described with the word "chaos," winning a walk-off 10-9 victory before falling 12-11 in the finale during its home-opening series for the 2024 season.

AIC now stands at 5-5 on the season.

The Yellow Jackets opened the scoring in the first game with a two-out rally. Taylor Murphy walked, and Kodi Gora hit a rocket shot to third that the Dolphins' third baseman was able to knock down but not do anything else with. Samantha Sanchez then hit a liner up the middle that ricocheted off the second-base bag, scoring Murphy. However, the Dolphins countered with a single, an error, and an RBI groundout in the second, and took advantage of a hit and three walks in the third to take a 2-1 lead.

As the rain picked up, both teams began scoring in bunches. Gora singled in the home half of the third, followed by walks for Sanchez and Brooklyn Cividanes before Julia Krijgsman wallopped a double to right center to score all three. Brianna Harzula followed with a base knock to push Krijgsman in, and after Lauren Ramalho singled and Abigail Wells walked, Destiny McGrath hit a deep fly to right field to plate Harzula and give AIC a 6-2 lead.

Just as quickly, the Dolphins hung five of their own on the board, smacking three singles, walking a run in, and then scoring two more each on another single and a double, as they batted around in response to AIC sending 10 to the plate. They then jumped ahead by three in the fifth with back-to-back RBI doubles, and threatened for more with the bases loaded in the sixth, though Kaitlyn Boone was able to escape the jam.

In the home half, AIC began its comeback. Murphy singled and Gora followed with a double. Sanchez hit a fly deep into foul ground in right, and though it was caught, Murphy scored and Gora advanced to third. Then, pure wildness ensued on the next play as Cividanes struck out, but the catcher mishandled the pitch and made it worse by throwing the ball into the outfield trying to get the out, allowing Gora to score.

The Dolphins reloaded the bases with one out in the seventh, forcing the Yellow Jackets to move Krijgsman into the circle. Kassidy Latour smoked a ball to center field that seemed destined for the wall, but Wells made an incredible running catch, and because the baserunners had all begun running, they all had to retreat, rendering what should have been a sacrifice fly just a flyout. The next batter grounded out to second, and AIC had its chance.

The Yellow Jackets delivered. Wells whacked a thundering triple to right, but was thrown out at home on a ground ball to short, leaving AIC with the tying run at first but only one out to work with. Murphy worked a walk, and then Gora hit a two-strike flare to left that fell just out of the reach of the shortstop. Sanchez came to the plate and hit another floater that eluded both the shortstop and center fielder, falling in to score Murphy and give AIC the win, 10-9.

Game two offered a continuation to the drama, with the Dolphins scoring first on an RBI groundout after a one-out double followed by a single. In AIC's half, McGrath singled to center to start AIC off, and then Sanchez hit a shot right at the right fielder that she mishandled. That set up Gora, who hit a ball just between the center and right fielders that kicked away from their diving efforts and rolled into the right field corner, and not only did McGrath and Sanchez score, but Gora flew around the bases, going all 240 feet to reach home on an inside-the-park home run, putting AIC up 3-1. 

However, the Dolphins roared right back; two straight singles and a walk loaded the bases, and a three-run double followed by a single made it 5-3 in the second frame. AIC pulled one back as McGrath, Sanchez, and Cividanes all singled in the third, with the rookie's hit bringing McGrath in.

The Dolphins appeared to break the game open in the fifth and sixth with three runs, scoring two in the fifth on a single sandwiched by two doubles and netting a run on three consecutive singles in the sixth. However, AIC pushed back into the game as Harzula reached on an error and scored when Morgan Bemont smacked a double to right. McGrath then walked, and Sanchez and Gora both had RBI singles to cut the gap to 8-7.

Once more, the visitors rebounded. Two hits were followed by an error and then two doubles, pushing four runs in. That left AIC trailing 12-7 with three outs to go. The team refused to quict, with Krijgsman doubling and Harzula singling to drive her in. Murphy then pinch hit and singled to right. Both scored when Wells stroked a double to left, and she took third on the throw. Sanchez hit a grounder through the right side to score Wells and bring the winning run to the plate, but the magic, like the daylight, ran out, and AIC fell just short, 12-11.

The Yellow Jackets next turn their attention to Post University on Friday, March 22 at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.