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SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The College of Saint Rose pounded out a combined 30 hits and used a pair of late offensive surges to sweep host Northeast-10 Conference rival American International today.
 
The Golden Knights (10-13/3-2 NE10) took a 3-0, second inning lead and then scored eight runs throughout the final four innings and held off a late charge by the Yellow Jackets, who pushed across a pair in the ninth, to chalk up an 11-9 win in the opener. They then overcame a 7-0, game-two deficit by scoring eight times in the fifth and twice more an inning later to take the nightcap 10-8.
 
Junior first baseman Jack McDonald went 5-for-9 and drove home six runs throughout the afternoon to lead the Saint Rose charge.
 
"We played two gutsy games where we kept fighting and believing. I'm proud of the way our leaders stepped up and our team stuck together battling through adversity," said Head Coach Wayne Jones.
 
In the opener, McDonald, junior third baseman Tyler Osborne and freshman second baseman Vince Venditti had three hits and two RBI apiece.
 
There were four lead changes before McDonald belted an RBI base hit and sophomore designated hitter Nathan Toms smacked a solo home run over the left field fence to put the Golden Knights ahead 6-5 in the seventh.

The Yellow Jackets (6-16/0-6 NE10) got one back in the home half to tie it 6-6, but Osborne brought home a run on a fielder's choice and McDonald stroked another RBI single in the eighth to afford Saint Rose a lead it would never relinquish.
 
Sophomore right-hander Randall Alejo fanned nine and allowed two earned runs in 5.0 innings of work.
 
Graduate student shortstop Angel Mendez went 3-for-4 and scored three runs to pace American International.
 
In the nightcap, sophomore shortstop Jared Reed got the Golden Knights on the board with a run scoring base hit. McDonald then stroked his four-run shot over the right field fence two batters later to make it a 7-5 affair. Freshman left fielder James Ward and sophomore right fielder Josh Myers followed with back-to-back RBI doubles that tied it, before junior center fielder Zephaniah Vaughn produced the go-ahead run with a base hit to right.
 
Toms then tripled to the right-center field gap that brought across two more runs to afford Saint Rose a 10-7 cushion in the sixth.
 
American International threatened in the seventh and final inning by scoring once and bringing the tying run to the plate with a pair in scoring position. However, sophomore right-hander Tyrell Irvis came out of the bullpen and induced a fly ball to end the ballgame.
 
Osborne finished 3-for-5, while Toms, Ward, Vaughn, Venditti, and Reed had two hits apiece to lead the Saint Rose offense. Sophomore left-hander Stephen Orlando allowed a run in 2.2 innings of relief work.
 
Looking ahead, these two teams are scheduled to conclude their weekend series with another doubleheader on Sunday. First pitch is set for noon in Springfield.

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Notes: The Golden Knights have now won four of their last six…Sophomore catcher Derek Haughey has reached base in 20 consecutive games…McDonald has 11 multi-hit games on the year.

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