AIC Wins with Ninth Inning Rally
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The American International College baseball team rallied in the bottom of ninth inning of Wednesday's game, scoring three runs to beat New Haven 7-6. Freshman Dan Mooney (Bennington, Vt.) reached on an error with the bases loaded, allowing senior Jeff Rustico (Plantsville, Conn.) to score the game-winning run. With the win the Yellow Jackets improve to 3-9 on the season, while the Chargers fall to 6-11.
New Haven took a 3-0 lead in the top of the forth but it didn't last long as AIC scored four runs in the bottom half of the fourth. Coincidentally, the Yellow Jackets scored their first run of the ball game in the same fashion they scored the game winning run, with Rustico scoring as Mooney reached on an error with the bases loaded.
In the bottom of the ninth the Yellow Jackets were down 6-4 when freshman Herb Coggeshall (Coventry, Conn.) singled up the middle to lead the inning off. He advanced to second when senior Jason Rustico (Southington, Conn,) walked, and then scored on Jeff Rustico's RBI double to left field.
After senior David Dest (Orange, Conn.) was walked to load the bases, junior Kevin Farrell (Wilbraham, Mass.) tied the game with a bloop single to center. Mooney then hit a sharp grounder with the infield drawn in to junior second baseman Even Okon (Bellmore, N.Y.) who bobbled the ball, allowing Jeff Rustico to score the winning run from third.
Senior Uchon Yi (Windsor Locks, Conn.) picked up his first win of the season for AIC, after pitching six innings with two earned runs and four strike outs. Yi improves his record to 1-1 on the year. Sophomore Dan Johnson (So. Kingstown, R.I.) got the start for New Haven and was chased in the fourth inning after allowing four runs. Sophomore Vince Lehman (Gorton, Mass.) would pick up the loss after allowing three runs in the ninth, bringing his record to 0-3.
Next up the Yellow Jackets have doubleheader at Bloomfield
College on Wednesday at 1p.m.