SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – A five-run eighth inning helped the No. 21 nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University baseball team defeat AIC, 13-10. The Yellow Jackets took an early lead with a run scored in the bottom of the first. SCSU responded in the top half of the second with a lead off homer by Ryan Geffert (Plymouth, Pa.). AIC came right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 3-1 lead. The Owls added two more runs in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly-out by T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) and a RBI ground out by Geffert. The Yellow Jackets answered with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third to jump out to a 5-3 lead. Southern Connecticut then added a run in both the fourth and the fifth to tie the game up. AIC regained the lead back in the sixth when they scored two runs to make it a 7-5 game. The Owls got a run back in the seventh with an RBI ground out by Bryan Dorsey (Cheshire, Conn.). SCSU then exploded in the eighth for five runs to take a commanding 11-7 lead. Kyle Cummings (Hamden, Conn.) scored the first run of the inning thanks to a wild pitch. Kiernan followed that with a two-RBI single to right center and then Bryan Dorsey capped off the inning with a two-run homerun to right center. Southern Connecticut added two insurance runs in the top of the ninth with a solo homerun by Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Mass.) and a RBI ground out by Sam Greenberg (Guilford, Conn.). The Yellow Jackets rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth but fell short of a comeback.

Rocco Cundari (Norwalk, Conn.) was the starting pitcher for SCSU. Cundari allowed five runs, on six hits and struck out four in three innings of work. Kevin Madera (Newington, Conn.) came in for the Owls in the fourth and allowed two runs, on four hits and fanned seven batters a three plus innings. Pat Egan (Aberdeen, N.J.) came in for relief of Madera in the seventh and threw a scoreless inning and 2/3. Egan was tabbed with the victory. A.J. Turnier (Waterford, Conn.) threw the final inning and allowed three runs on two hits.

Seniors Byran Dorsey and Ryan Geffert played a major role in the offense. Both players tallied two hits, a homer and three RBI in the win. Nick Baviello (Orange, Conn.) collected a team-high three hits and T.K. Kiernan recorded three RBI, a hit and a run scored.  Greenberg and Cummings also collected two hits apiece in the win.

SCSU improved to 29-14 on the year, and 10-6 Northeast-10 Conference play. The Owls will return home Wednesday for the final regular season home against Adelphi University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.