SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College softball team sent the entire lineup to the plate and then some in huge half innings as part of a 10-6, 12-6 sweep of Franklin Pierce University in Northeast-10 Conference play on Friday, April 11.

AIC is now 8-12 overall and 4-6 in the NE10.

Both teams loaded the bases with two outs in the first, and both teams failed to score. That was a mere appetizer for what was to follow, as the Ravens struck first in the second, with two walks and a single off the third baseman to bring in a run. The frame might have gone longer, but Nevaeh Trejo was able to recover from the original hit to apply a diving tag on the Ravens runner between second and third that ended the inning. 

In the home half, AIC bounced back. Sammy Sanchez walked, as did Brianna Salazar. Trejo hit a bouncer off the pitcher to second base that was thrown to first, and though she was called out on the close play, it moved the runners up. Destiny McGrath followed, and took any guesses out of the equation by crushing a no-doubt shot over the center field fence for a 3-1 lead. It was her second home run of the season.

AIC's defense came up in the third; after a walk, a grounder to McGrath was sent to second, and Salazar's subsequent throw to first hit the runner coming from there. After a discussion, the umpires ruled offensive interference had occured and ruled both players out, ending the inning.

Once again, AIC took advantage of the momentum, and the offense roared to life. Julia Krijgsman started the parade with a double down the left-field line, and Jilien Ayala laid a bunt between the pitcher and third that put runners at the corners. Lauryn Ramalho walked to load the bases, and Morgan Bemont and Salazar did as well, with both pushing runs home. Trejo then hit a bouncer up the middle that left the defense unable to record an out, scoring Ramalho.

With McGrath at the plate, Bemont came home on a wild pitch, and the Ravens decided it was better to walk McGrath than pitch to her, re-loading the bases. Krijgsman came up again, and doubled again, this time into the left-center gap to score two. Ayala walked, and Ramalho singled up the middle to score McGrath. When all was said and done, AIC had sent 14 hitters to the plate, scored seven times, and held a 10-1 lead.

The Ravens did not give up after the cascade of runs, bouncing back with three runs of their own thanks to a single, hit batter, walk, and a gap-shot single that was mishandled, all before a single out was recorded in the fourth. They added a run in the fifth on three hits, and another on four hits in the sixth despite a strong defensive play by Trejo to get a forceout at home in the inning. The lead was too much to overcome, however, as AIC held on with a 1-2-3 seventh to close the win.

In game two, the Ravens jumped to a 1-0 lead with a leadoff walk, stolen base, and a double to drive in the first run with one out, although Gabrielle Lambert drew two popouts after that to prevent further damage.

AIC took the lead in a messy second inning that started with Ayala singling on the first pitch down the left-field line. The throw into the infield went awry, allowing her to advance to second, and she took third on a wild pitch before scoring when Sanchez singled to left.

Isabelle Robinson pinch-ran for Sanchez, and on an attempted steal reached because the shortstop muffed the throw. Deirdre Curley then walked, and Ramalho hit a grounder to third; apart from beating the throw, it was wild, allowing Robinson to score. McGrath was once again given an intentional pass, only for a wild pitch to push Curley home and give AIC a 3-1 edge.

The fourth inning was the most high-octane of all. The Ravens loaded the bases with a single and two walks, and with two outs a pinch-hit double scored all three runners, giving the Ravens back the lead in stunning fashion. The next batter, Charlit Hartenstein, clubbed a two-run shot, and AIC suddenly found itself down 6-3.

Brooklyn Cividanes started AIC's response in the bottom half with a single just out of reach of the third baseman. Curley walked and Ramalho singled to load the bases, and though McGrath was not gifted the free pass this time, she worked a walk anyway to force Cividanes home.

Trejo then singled to keep the line moving, and Krijgsman doubled, putting AIC back on top. Ayala reached on a ball that the defense could not make a play on, and then Trejo came home on a wild pitch. Bemont hit a two-run single to left following that.

Bemont's hit put Cividanes back at the dish, and the sophomore delivered a knockout blow, crushing her third home run of the year just under the scoreboard in left, putting a nine on the scoreboard to match her jersey and giving AIC a 12-6 lead.

Trinity LaValley put the game away from there, holding the Ravens to four hits and no runs to close out the victory and give AIC its first sweep of the Ravens since 2017. Between the two games, she threw a combined 6.0 innings, allowing one run on eight hits with four strikeouts; Krijgsman picked up the game-one win. 

AIC will next play at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 13 in a doubleheader against Saint Michael's College. It will be Senior Day, as the team recognizes McGrath, Sanchez, and Taylor Murphy for their contributions over four years before the contest.