FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Mitchell College baseball team staged a late comeback against Augustana College (Ill.) on Friday morning but ultimately came up short, losing by a 9-8 final to wrap up play at the Cusic Classic.

The Mariners (8-2 overall) trailed by seven before rallying for six runs in the eighth inning to cut into the deficit. Mitchell added another run in the ninth but stranded the tying run in scoring position.

Ryan Goodwin went 2-for-4 with two doubles and four RBI to lead the Mariners at the plate. Kenneth Olszewski and Tyler Pina each added a pair of hits on the day, with Olszewski recording his 100th career hit on a double in the sixth inning. He becomes the fourth active Mitchell player with at least 100 career hits, joining teammates Evan Peck, Gavin LaLima and Rafael Garcia.

Augustana (9-3 overall) hit up Mitchell starter Clayton Shaw for seven runs over the first four innings to take control. Reliever Troy Stango closed out the game for the Mariners and was effective in 5.0 innings of work, holding the Vikings to two runs on five hits.

The Mariners got on the scoreboard in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Peck that scored Kyle Hartenstein. Augustana added a run in the seventh to go up 8-1 before Mitchell exploded for six runs on four hits in the eighth. Goodwin provided the big blow with a bases-loaded double that scored three runs, and Pina and Garcia each added RBI singles. The Vikings used four pitchers in the frame and escaped the inning with an 8-7 lead.

Augustana tacked on an insurance run in the home half of the eighth that would prove crucial, as Mitchell went down fighting in the ninth. Olszewski singled to lead off the frame and stole second to move into scoring position. Goodwin later doubled with two outs to score Olszewski, but the Mariners couldn't bring home the tying run to extend the game. 

Mitchell will next play at doubleheader at Westfield State University on Saturday, March 21 at 1 p.m.