SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College softball team went to the edge and beyond to secure a split with Northeast-10 Conference rival Southern Connecticut State University on Sunday, March 30, winning 1-0 in eight innings before falling 12-3 in five at Judy Groff Field.

AIC is now 6-8 with a 2-2 NE10 mark.

Both teams managed a hit in the first, but no more than that, previewing the challenges that Ashley Lewis and Julia Krijgsman created for the offenses they opposed. Only one runner reached scoring position in the first four innings, and AIC's defense turned an impressive double play in the third after an error, with Nevaeh Trejo turning a sacrifice bunt attempt into a 5-6-3 rally killer.

In the bottom of the seventh, AIC had the game's first threat, with a dropped pop up and a rocket shot hit by Trejo that deflected off her opposing third baseman to put second and third with one out. AIC bunted, and a throw back to third caught Jilien Ayala apparently just off the base, shocking the Yellow Jackets. AIC's next hitter line out, sending the game to extra innings.

The Owls put a runner at third with two outs on a triple, but Krijgsman recovered to end the threat quickly with a groundout to third, giving the Yellow Jackets another chance to win the game.

Lauren Ramalho led off the inning and singled to right. She then took off for second, just dodging a tag to get herself into scoring position. Destiny McGrath then laced a line drive into the right field corner, and Ramalho was able to scamper home, scoring the winning run - the only one of the game.

Krijgsman was brilliant, with eight shutout innings, conceding just four hits and two walks with one strikeout and needing only 88 pitches to complete the game. Lewis, on the other side, allowed six hits and one walk in 7.0+ innings, with six strikeouts on the wrong side of the pitchers duel. 

McGrath helped AIC get on the board quickly in game two, doubling to left and scoring on a Sammy Sanchez single to right. That lead lasted until the third, when the Owls scored three times with two doubles, a sacrifice fly, a single, and an error for a 3-1 lead. 

In the fourth, Krijgsman came through for her team with her bat. Trejo singled and Sanchez walked, and Brooklyn Cividanes sacrifice bunted to get them over. AIC's junior two-way star then hit a one-hopper off the wall in left center, bringing both home to tie the game.

Unfortunately, that was where the offense ended for AIC, but the Owls took flight with a three-run home run in the fifth, and then capped a six-run sixth with another three-run shot to grab the run-rule win. 

AIC returns to action with a New York road trip beginning Friday, April 4 at 2:00 p.m. with a doubleheader at Pace University; the following day, AIC will visit Adelphi for two beginning at noon.