NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team won their sixth consecutive game on Wednesday afternoon, an 18-3 thrashing of Massachusetts Maritime Academy in a non-conference matchup on their home field. 

The Mariners, who entered the day averaging just under 11 runs per game, pounded out 20 hits, four of them coming from senior outfielder Dougie DelaCruz (Uncasville, Conn.), who hit for the cycle, finishing 4-5 with eight RBI and five runs scored. DelaCruz's final hit of the day, a two-run triple in the bottom of the fifth inning, also gave him 200 career hits in a Mariner uniform.

Senior catcher Matt Falk (Enfield, Conn.) also had a four hit game at the plate, including his team leading eight home run of the spring. Bo Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.) and Lelo Martinez (New London, Conn.) had three hits apiece for Mitchell, while Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) and Angel Galindez (Carolia, PR) collected a pair of hits each.

Alex Sheehan (Killingworth, Conn.) got the start for the Mariners and was removed due to injury after throwing two innings of one run ball. Freshman Jacob Quiles (Wallkill, N.Y.) came out the bullpen and earned the win, surrendering just two runs in three innings of relief. Ryan Camp (
Cheshire, Conn.) and John Novak (Colchester, Conn.) each tossed a scoreless frame in relief until the game was called after seven innings.

The Mariners took an early 2-0 lead when Owen Robbins laced a two-run double to left field in the bottom of the first inning. The Buccaneers got one run back when Jake Quillen doubled to right field in the top of the second, however Mitchell answered with five runs in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by a pair of RBI doubles by Yaworski and DelaCruz and an RBI single by Martinez.

After DelaCruz belted his fifth long ball of the season in the bottom of the third inning, the Mariners tacked on four more runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth, sprinting away from an overmatched Maritime squad.

Liam Howell started the game and took the loss for the Buccaneers after allowing 10 earned runs in just two and one third innings of work. Brett Velzis and AJ Pietrafesa had two hits each in the loss for Maritime, who drop to 12-11 on the season.

The Mariners (22-4 overall, 6-0 NECC) will return to New England Colelgiate Conference play on Saturday, April 15, when travel to New Hampshire for a doubleheader at New England College.