NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team didn't lead until a hit batter forced in the game-winning run and ended the game in a 6-5 victory over Daniel Webster College on Monday in the final installment of the New England Collegiate Conference series.
Two days after outscoring the Eagles 31-3 in a doubleheader, the Mariners needed all nine innings to complete the sweep. Tyler Pina was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the ninth to plate the winning run. Mitchell pitcher Troy Stango picked up the victory in relief, tossing 2.1 shutout innings and allowing only one hit.
Daniel Webster jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after Dan Ierardi led off with a double down the left field line and later scored on a ground out by Kyle Brigham. Mitchell tied the game an inning later by loading the bases and pushing a run home with the benefit of a DWC fielding error.
Each team added a pair of runs in the third inning. The Eagles went back on top briefly as Brett Wood reached on a single and Ierardi drew a walk with only one out. After both runners moved into scoring position on a failed pick-off attempt, Wood scored on a ground out by Kelvin Rodriguez and Ierardi crossed the plate on a wild pitch.
In the home half of the frame, the Mariners put runners on first and second with no outs and scored their first run on a perfectly executed hit-and-run by Rafael Garcia. Ryan Goodwin went from first to third on the play and later scored on an infield grounder by Pina to tie the game at 3-3.
Ierardi led off the DWC fifth with a walk and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. He then scored from second on a ground-rule double by Brigham that one-hopped the fence in left-center. Consecutive wild pitches allowed Brigham to cross home plate and gave the Eagles a 5-3 advantage halfway through the contest.
Mitchell answered with a pair of runs in the sixth to tie the game once again. Gavin LaLima delivered a two-out single to center to bring in the first run and took second base on the throw to the plate. He then scored on a rocket off the bat of Kyle Hartenstein that was nearly snagged by the third baseman but found its way into left field.
Stango (1-0 overall) worked around a one-out double by Dan Quinn in the eighth to keep the game knotted at 5-5. The Mariners followed a similar script in the ninth as Neftali Arroyo set the table with a one-out double to the left field corner. After a hit-by-pitch and a wild pitch gave Mitchell runners at second and third, the Eagles intentionally walked the bases loaded to bring up Pina. He responded by working a full count before being plunked in the thigh to win the ballgame.
Mitchell starter Axel De Jesus went 6.2 innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and struck out eight in the no decision. DWC starter Derek Dolan yielded five runs (four earned) on nine hits and struck out two in 7.0 innings of work. Dolan (0-1 overall) gave up a hit, walked two and hit two batters in 1.1 innings of relief.
Mitchell (13-2 overall, 6-0 NECC) will next host Elms College for a NECC doubleheader on Saturday, April 11 at noon. Daniel Webster (3-11, 0-8 NECC) returns to action at Newbury College on Saturday at noon.