NEW LONDON, Conn. – Senior pitcher Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.) tossed a complete game shutout on Friday afternoon, helping lead the Mitchell College baseball team to a 2-0 shutout of Rivier University in Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) action at Alumni Field.
Gibbs scattered just three hits and one walk, striking out a career-high 14 batters, in the process becoming the all-time strikeout leader in the Division III era of the Mitchell baseball program, surpassing Al Jordan Johnson, who racked up 202 strikeouts between 2013-2016.
Of the three hits that Gibbs surrendered, two of them came in the top of the first inning, and after hitting a batter with one out in the top of the fifth, the right-handed pitcher retired the final 14 batters he faced.
Sophomore Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) went 1-4 with a double and a run scored, while junior Kenneth Miller Jr. (New London, Conn.) and sophomore Chase Donahue (Shirley, Mass.) drove in one run apiece in the win.
Following a slow offensive start for both ball clubs, the Mariners broke the ice and scored the game's first run in the bottom of the fourth when Ficocelli hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on a bunt single by junior Nicholas Bracale (East Haven Conn.), and came home on a sacrifice fly to centerfield off the bat of Kenneth Miller Jr.
The Mariners were held scoreless over the next three innings, but added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth on a Chase Donahue sacrifice fly to right field.
Anthony Morro shouldered the loss for Rivier despite turning in a strong performance, allowing just four hits, three walks, and a pair of runs. Nathan Innerfield, JD Normand, and Dylan Aliberti picked up hits in the loss for Rivier.
The Mariners (14-13, 6-1) will look to extend their winning streak to four straight games when they return to play on Sunday, April 6, with a conference clash against Dean College at 2:00 pm. The Raiders (6-13, 1-5) next play on Tuesday, April 8, at home in a non-league game against Worcester State University.