Box Score
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Starting pitcher
Cole Bryant (Newington, Conn.) tossed seven strong innings, while senior first basemen
A.J. Rouleau (Westborough, Mass.) drove in three to lead the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team to a 6-2 win over American International on Friday at the Ballpark at SCSU.
The win makes it two in a row for the Owls and improves their overall record to 19-16-1 and 5-10 in the Southwest Division of the Northeast-10 Conference. AIC drops to 16-18 on the season and a game back of the Owls in the division at 4-11.
Bryant picked up his fourth win of the season giving the Owls seven innings, while only surrendering one run (unearned) and striking out seven.
Southern Connecticut got on the board in the bottom of the first innings when Rouleau picked up his first RBI of the day. Rouleau would drive a single that just was out of the reach of the Yellow Jackets right fielder Dave Kerlejza, plating
Nick Baviello (Orange, Conn.) to give the Owls a 1-0 lead.
AIC would tie the score in the second, but in the bottom of the third
T.K. Kiernan (Wallingford, Conn.) would break the tie. Kiernan would bloop a single down the right field line scoring
Michael Cleary (West Boylston, Conn.) and the Owls led 2-1.
The Owls added two more in the fifth, starting with a RBI ground out by Rouleau that scored Cleary.
Brandon Docimo (Stamford, Conn.) would then drive a single down the left field line, bringing in Baviello to give the Owls a 4-1 lead.
Rouleau would again single in Cleary in the seventh for his third RBI of the day and later in the inning
T.J. Shea (Hamden, Conn.) would single home Rouleau giving the Owls a comfortable 6-1 advantage after seven innings.
AIC picked up one in the eighth, but would fall on Friday afternoon, 6-2.
Cleary, who was moved to the leadoff spot last game, had two hits, two walks and three runs scored. Baviello went 2-for-4 on the day with a pair of runs scored and Docimo and Shea each had a pair of hits and a RBI in the win.
Rouleau now has 24 RBI on the season to lead the Southern Connecticut offense.
The Owls and Yellow Jackets will meet again tomorrow for a doubleheader at the Ballpark at SCSU set for a 12 p.m. start.
