Springfield, Mass. (April 6) -- Behind a balanced offensive effort and a three-hit, seven-inning start from senior pitcher Zack LaRosa (West Hartford, Conn./Conard), the Assumption College baseball team defeated American International College by a 7-3 final on Monday afternoon.

The Yellow Jackets posted a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to kick things off, starting with an RBI double down the left field line from Tyler Geffert with no outs in the frame. The Jackets added a two-out run as David Kerlejza singled to left to score Geffert from third. Assumption took the lead for the first time in the top of the third, mounting a two-out rally for the 3-2 advantage. Sophomore Mike Coggeshall (Shrewsbury, Mass./Shrewsbury) tied the game with one swing as he doubled to center for two RBI's. Senior Greg O'Donnell (Northbridge, Mass./Northbridge) put the Hounds ahead in the next at-bat, singling thru the left side to score junior Tom Paine (Upton, Mass./Nipmuc) for his 15th RBI of the season.

AIC brought Michael Gentile on in relief to start the sixth inning after a five-inning, five-hit effort from starter Nick Kennedy. Assumption senior Billy Johnson (Auburn, Mass./Holy Name) greeted the reliever with a solo home run as he launched the 2-2 pitch over the right field fence for the 4-2 advantage. LaRosa went seven for the Hounds, scattering just three hits with two earned runs, five walks and four strikeouts before giving way to sophomore Nick Fenuccio (Keene, N.H./Keene) to start the eighth. Fenuccio went 2/3 of an inning as the Jackets scored a single run in the eighth to claw to within 4-3, giving way to freshman Mike Curtis (Wilmington, Mass./Wilmington) to close out the frame with the one-run lead.

The Hounds added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth, getting things started with a one-out RBI single from Paine for the 5-3 margin. Coggeshall followed that with his second two-RBI double of the game to account for the 7-3 final score. Paine tried to clear the bases on the play but was out at the plate on the relay from right field.

Sophomore reliever Tom Brengel (Hicksville, N.Y./Holy Trinity) came on to pitch the ninth for the Hounds, setting down the Jackets in order on nine pitches to preserve the victory. LaRosa picked up the win for Assumption to improve to 1-1 on the season, while Kennedy took the loss to fall to 0-1.

Coggeshall went 2-for-4 with four runs batted in, along with a 2-for-3 outing from freshman shortstop Jordan Roper (Lynnfield, Mass./Lynnfield).

With the win, Assumption now sits at 5-14 overall and the Yellow Jackets fall to 4-12 with the loss.

Assumption is back in action on Friday afternoon as the Hounds travel to Saint Michael's College for a 4 p.m. divisional start in Colchester, Vt.

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