NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team pounded out 33 runs across two games on Saturday afternoon, sweeping a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader against Albertus Magnus College at Alumni Field.
The Mariners jumped out to an early lead before battling back to take the first game 11-8, then routed the Falcons 22-2 in a seven inning game cut short due to the 10-run rule. The pair of wins extended the Mitchell win streak to eight games total, and improved their record to 6-0 within the conference.
The Mariners (16-6, 6-0 GNAC) will return to action on Tuesday, April 2nd, when they travel across the state for a non-conference game against Eastern Connecticut State University. The Falcons (3-11, 2-3 GNAC) jump back into conference play on Tuesday, April 2nd, with a game at Johnson & Wales University.
Game 1 – Mitchell 11, Albertus 8
Junior Jadon Canelli (Northford, Conn.) got the start for the Mariners in the first game of the doubleheader and immediately received run support when freshman Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) hit an RBI double in the bottom of the first to make it 1-0 in favor of the home team.
Ficocelli collected his second double of the game in the third, scoring Angel Galindez (Carolina, PR), and sophomore Adam Vartanian (Cumberland, R.I.) made it a three run game with an RBI double down the right field line in the fourth.
After Galindez gave Mitchell a four run lead with a run scoring single in the sixth, the Albertus bats came to life and plated five runs in the seventh, with Elijah Spataj driving in two with a double to left-center. The Mariners then answered with four runs in the seventh and three more in the eighth to regain the lead, and despite the Falcons scoring three of their own in the top of the ninth, Mitchell held on for the win.
Adam Vartanian finished 3-5 with one RBI and a double for the Mariners, while Galindez went 2-4 with two RBI, two walks, and one run scored, Ficocelli was 2-5 with two doubles and two RBI, and sophomore Savier Paige (Wethersfield, Conn.) turned in a 2-4 day at the plate two RBI and two runs scored. Seniors Cole Lalli (Coventry, Conn.) and Michael Gajda (New Britain, Conn.) also each had a pair of hits and scored two runs apiece.
Canelli surrendered just two earned runs across six innings of work, striking out five. Sophomore Jacob Quiles (Wallkill, N.Y.) picked up his third win of the spring after tossing two innings of three-run ball out of the bullpen.
Albert Molina fell to 2-2 for Albertus, allowing eight runs (five earned) in six and two third innings.
Elijah Spataj led the way offensively for the Falcons, finishing 3-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Game 2 – Mitchell 22, Albertus 2
The Mariners scored three runs in the bottom of the first before erupting for 12 runs in the second inning, en route to their highest offensive output of the season.
10 different players collected at least one base hit in the blowout, with freshman Chas Terni Jr. (Montville, Conn.) finishing 4-4 with a double, a triple, and four RBI. Angel Galindez went 2-3 with five RBI and three runs scored for Mitchell, while Adam Vartanian and Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) each also had multiple hits. Michael Ficocelli added four RBI and laced his third triple in the past two days.
Junior Nicholas Strojny (Woonsocket, R.I.) picked up the win after twirling four innings of one run ball.
Toby Marineau of Albertus was tagged with the loss after lasting just one and two third innings and giving up 12 runs (four earned).
Anthony Abate went 3-3 with an RBI in the loss.