Lavelle drives in two in baseball's loss at Bridgeport
BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut – The American International College baseball team fell to the University of Bridgeport on Tuesday, March 22 in the final non-conference game before Northeast-10 play.
FAST FACTS:
FINAL SCORE: Bridgeport 7, AIC 5
RECORDS: AIC moves to 6-9 while Bridgeport moves to 8-11
Win: Jason Giambra (2-0) Loss:Ian Gallagher (0-1), Save: Justin Hafele
LOCATION: Seaside Park Bridgeport, Connecticut
KEY STATS:
AIC:
Ian Gallagher: Loss (0-1), 3.2 innings pitched, four hits, six runs, four earned runs, four strikeouts, 66 pitches
Chad Lavelle: 2-for-5, two RBI, one run
Anthony Clark: 2-for-4, two runs
Kiernan Caffery: 2-for-4, one RBI, one run, one double
Darion Crawford: 2-for-3, one RBI
Bridgeport:
Jason Giambra: Win (2-0), 6.0 innings pitched, eight hits, four runs, three earned, six strikeouts, 86 pitches
Justin Hafele: Save (3), 1.0 innings pitched, three hits, one run, two strikeouts, 19 pitches
Alex Rauso: 1-for-4, four RBI, one run, one home run
Christian Ortiz: 1-for-2, one RBI, one run, one double
Stephen Giambra: 1-for-3, one RBI
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Purple Knights wasted no time getting on the board as they scored four runs on two hits and one error that included a grand slam. They added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead to six.
- In the top of the fifth senior Brandon Gaul led the inning with a walk and came around to score when freshman Kiernan Caffery doubled to right field.
- In their next at-bat, the Yellow Jackets continued to chip away. Junior Chad Lavelle singled to left and then stole second to get things started. Senior Dalton Quinn hit a hard ground ball to third that was mishandled and as Quinn and Lavelle each advanced 90-feet from where they started. Sophomore Michael Nazzaro lifted a ball to center which allowed Lavelle to tag and score.
- The Purple Knights added an insurance run in the bottom of the inning to once again hold a five-run lead.
- AIC added a pair of runs in the top of the seventh as graduate Anthony Clark singled to center as the first hitter. Cafferty poked a hit to right and Clark ran 180-feet to put runners on the corners. Second-year Darion Crawford found some grass in left and Clark touched the plate. Bridgeport went to the arm barn and senior Angel Mendez flew out to left but Crawford advanced to second and Caffery to third which allowed Lavelle to put the ball in play and Caffery to score. As the crowd sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame the Purple Knights led 7-4.
- The Yellow Jackets put pressure on Bridgeport in the top of the ninth. Clark led off with a single and advanced on a single by sophomore Cameron Fitzgerald and took third on a wild pitch. He ended up scoring on a single to the pitcher by Lavelle. It was not enough as the Purple Knights took the game 7-5
NEXT UP:
- The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to continue their road swing as they open a four-game series to open Northeast-10 Conference play at Adelphi on Friday, March 25 at 3:30 p.m.