Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Led by a solid 2-for-4 performance at the plate from senior Jake Paul (Kingston, N.Y.) as well as a four-run eighth inning rally, the Southern Connecticut State University baseball team wrapped up a three-game series against American International with a 7-5 Southwest Division win on Sunday morning. With today's win, the Owls win the series 2-1 and improve to 14-23-1 and 6-8 on the year while the Yellow Jackets fall to 11-32 and 5-10.
 
Beside going 2-for-4 at the plate, Paul also registered two runs, two RBI and a home run against the Yellow Jackets. Senior Jake Lieberman (Commack, N.Y.) also recorded two hits for the Owls as well as recorded a run scored. Redshirt sophomore Ryan Kaplan (Fishkill, N.Y.) led the Owls in the RBI category with three.
 
Freshman Shawn Urbano (Stamford, Conn.) earned his second win of the season as he pitched a total of 1.1 innings and allowed two hits and a run. Freshman Quantique White (New London, Conn.) earned his second save of his rookie campaign, pitching the final 1.2 inning and tallied three hits, a walk and two strikeouts.
 
American International began the game taking an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first following an RBI single and a three-run homer over the right field line.
 
Shortly after, Southern Connecticut cut the hosts' lead in half, 4-2, after scoring back-to-back runs in the top of the second and third. Kaplan drove in the first run after reaching on a fielder choice and allowing junior Greg Zullo (Branford, Conn.) to score from third. Lieberman scored the Owls' second run of the game as he scored from third off a sacrifice fly from Paul.
 
In the top of the sixth, Southern Connecticut struck again tacking on another run to its tally and bringing the score to within one, 4-3. Paul led off the inning with his third home run of the season before the Owls ended the inning and leaving a runner on second.
 
Southern Connecticut continued its comeback as the visitors scored another four runs in the top of the eighth, taking its first lead of the game, 7-4. Paul once again began the inning with a single before advancing to third following two wild pitches. With two outs and bases loaded, Kaplan was able to advance runners to second and third as well as scored Paul and junior Ethan Joyce (Exeter, N.H.). Redshirt freshman Nick Lamberti (East Haven, Conn.) drove in the next two runs to extend the Owls' lead to three, 7-4. Kaplan and junior McNeill Finnegan (Old Saybrook, Conn.) scored off Lamberti's run, but were considered unearned.
 
American International was held to only scoring a run in the bottom of the eighth, 7-5, thanks to a solo home run from Mike Coyne. The Yellow Jackets threatened again in the bottom of the ninth, but White settled in and stranded runners at first and second to end the game and secure the save.
 
The Owls are back in action on May 3, 2016 at Adelphi University. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m.