NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College took the first two games of its weekend baseball series with Elms College by final scores of 8-1 and 3-2 on Saturday in New England Collegiate Conference action at Alumni Field.
Rafael Garcia tripled twice and drove in three runs while Ryan Goodwin finished with four hits and knocked in runs in each game to lead the Mariners (15-2 overall, 8-0 NECC). Al Jordan Johnson and Tyler Shamas each went the distance in starts on the mound and improved to 4-0 on the season.
Michael Bombard went 3-for-6 with two RBI on the day while Geoff Frost also collected three hits for Elms (7-10 overall, 2-5 NECC.
Elms will host Mitchell for the third and final game of the series on Sunday, April 12 at noon.
Game 1 – Mitchell 8, Elms 1
Mitchell scored runs in every inning but the second en route to the win in the opener. Elms didn't help its cause by committing six errors in the game that contributed to six unearned runs.
Mitchell took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Gavin LaLima scored from third base on a ground out by Kenneth Olszewski. The Mariners then added four more runs in the third to extend the margin to 5-0. Goodwin got things started with a RBI double before Garcia drove him in with a triple to right-center. After a pair of walks loaded the bases, LaLima provided the final blow with double that plated two.
Olszewski led off the Mitchell fourth with a double and later scored on a double by Arroyo. The Mariners would have added another run if not for the arm of Bombard in left field, who gunned out a runner at the plate to keep it a 6-0 game.
The Mariners picked up another run in the fifth on a RBI single by Kyle Hartenstein that scored Tyler Pina. Garcia knocked in the final Mitchell run in the sixth to score Evan Peck, who led off the frame with a single.
Elms got on the scoreboard in the seventh when Jordan Zima led off with a double that one-hopped the fence in right and later scored on a ground out by Bombard. However, it was the last hit allowed by Johnson, who retired the next two batters to clinch the victory. He allowed just one unearned run in 7.0 innings and struck out five while walking two.
Elms starter Sean Sinnott went 5.0 innings and surrendered seven runs (one earned) on nine hits and struck out two. He dropped to 1-2 on the season.
Game 2 – Mitchell 3, Elms 2
The Blazers struck first in the second game and took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. With runners at first and second and one out, Zima lined a pitch back through the box to knock in Tim Gelzinis with the game's first run.
Mitchell tied the game an inning later on the strength of back-to-back extra-base hits. Goodwin doubled to the right-center gap before Garcia brought him home with a triple to the same spot.
Elms put two on with no outs in the third thanks to consecutive hits by Bombard and Stephen Harrison. Shamas worked his way out of trouble by using his glove. He first fielded a bunt and went to third to retire the lead runner, and he then stabbed a comebacker and started an inning-ending double play to escape unscathed.
Mitchell took a 3-1 lead in the home half of the fourth as Arroyo led off with a stand-up triple to right-center and scored on a sacrifice fly by Goodwin. Later on in the frame, a two-out single by Pina turned into another run when he scored all the way from first base on a double to deep left field by Peter McTernan.
A leadoff single to start the Elms fifth turned into two bases due to an error in the Mitchell outfield. Bombard made the Mariners pay with a single to center to score the run, and he later swiped second base to move into scoring position with two outs. Shamas got out of the inning with the 3-2 lead intact, however, by getting the next batter to hit a comebacker to the mound for the final out.
Shamas retired the Blazers in order in the seventh to close out the game strong. He scattered seven hits over 7.0 innings and allowed two runs—both unearned—and struck out five.
Elms starter Andrew Sadowski dropped to 2-3 on the season. He allowed three runs on nine hits over 6.0 innings and struck out three.