NEW LONDON, Conn. – The top-seeded Mitchell College baseball team won the 2022 New England Collegiate Conference Baseball Championship on Sunday afternoon, defeating second-seeded Eastern Nazarene College by a final score of 15-2 at Alumni Field.
The Mariners, who entered the day undefeated in the double-elimination tournament, needed just one win over the Lions to secure their third straight conference title. The game was never in doubt after the Mariners broke through and scored four runs in the bottom of the second inning. That was more than enough for Mitchell sophomore Chris Gibbs, who tossed seven innings of shutout ball to earn the win, allowing just five hits and a pair of walks while striking out six.
After a scoreless first inning, the Mariners broke through on an RBI single into left field by designated hitter Matthew Blackwell (Ansonia, Conn.). Justin Adorno (New Britain, Conn.) drove in another run on a fielder's choice the very next batter, before Angel Galindez (Carolina, PR) plated two on an RBI triple to right field. Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) and Blackwell each collected RBI singles the following inning, pushing the Mitchell lead to 6-0, before two more runs came around to score in the sixth, highlighted by a run scoring double off the bat of senior Lelo Martinez (New London, Conn.) The seventh inning then saw the Mariners tack on an additional six runs, as Adorno walked with the bases loaded, Thai-ler Sestokas (Danbury, Conn.) laced a two-run double, Galindez ripped a two-run single, and Bo Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.) brought home Galindez with a single to left field.
Martinez went 3-4 with a double and four runs scored to lead the Mariners, while Blackwell was 2-3 with three RBI, and Galindez finished 2-4 with a double and four RBI. Sestokas also drove in two with a pair of hits, and Robbins capped a spectacular weekend by going 2-4 with one RBI and three runs scored.
Senior Kenny Heon (Uncasville, Conn.) came out of the bullpen for the Mariners, tossing two shutout innings, surrendering just one hit and one walk, striking out four.
Jon Tessier was the losing pitcher for the Lions after giving up 10 hits and nine runs, six of them earned, over four and one third innings of work. Anderson Jimenez was the lone ENC player to produce a multi-hit game, going 2-4 with two RBI.
Dougie DelaCruz, Chris Gibbs, and Owen Robbins were named to the all-tournament team. Robbins, who went 7-14 with eight RBI seven runs scored across three games, was named most valuable player of the tournament.
The Mariners (31-8 overall) picked up their ninth conference title, third in a row, and seventh under head coach Travis Beausoleil. With the win, they have earned an automatic berth for the 2023 NCAA Championship.