First Inning Grand Slam By Alex Rauso Helps Lift UB Baseball To A 7-5 Home Win Over AIC

Bridgeport, Conn.-The University of Bridgeport baseball team raced out to a 6-0 lead after four innings and held on for a 7-5 home non-conference win over the visiting American International College Yellow Jackets in a breezy Seaside Park on Tuesday afternoon.  With the win, UB raises its season record to 8-11.  AIC is now 6-9 so far in 2022.

Graduate student Alex Rauso (Trumbull, Conn.) jump started the Bridgeport offense in the bottom of the first inning by blasting a grand slam home run to centerfield to give the Purple Knights a 4-0 advantage before AIC could record an out.  Rauso now has two homers and 10 runs batted in on the season.

Classmate Stephen Giambra (Milford, Conn.), freshman Christian Ortiz (Linden, N.J.) and junior Tyler Sharfetz (Fords, N.J.) also drove in runs for the winners on Tuesday.

Sophomore Jason Giambra (Milford, Conn.) earned the win on the mound for UB working six innings as the starter in which he allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits with six strikeouts and just one walk.

Senior Justin Hafele (Shelton, Conn.) worked the ninth inning to pick up his team-high third save of the season, after classmate Matthew Wirz (Stamford, Conn.) work two scoreless and hitless innings of relief.

Up next, the UB baseball team is slated to close out its nine-game homestand on Thursday afternoon against Bloomfield College before opening East Coast Conference play at Mercy on Friday.