Baseball Falls to Mitchell, 17-1

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team got solid pitching and used a ten-run seventh inning to turn the game into a rout as the Mariners posted a 17-1 victory over visiting Bridgewater State University on Tuesday afternoon at the Mitchell Turf Fields Complex.

The Mariners improve to 9-3 on the season with their third straight win, while the Bears fall to 7-3.

Sophomore righthander Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.) allowed one run on six hits over seven solid innings to earn the win on the mound for Mitchell. Gibbs (2-0) did not issue a walk and fanned three.

Senior third baseman Lelo Martinez (New London, Conn.) and junior right fielder Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) notched four hits apiece to pace the Mariners' 21-hit attack. Martinez went 4-for-4 with a double, a walk, three runs and an RBI, while Robbins reached safely five times as he was 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of doubles, a hit by pitch, two runs and two RBI.

Junior shortstop Angel Galindez (Carolina, P.R.), sophomore first baseman Bo Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.), senior catcher Matt Falk (Enfield, Conn.), sophomore designated hitter Nicholas Bracale (East Haven, Conn.), junior second baseman Justin Adorno (New Britain, Conn.) and freshman centerfielder Thai-ler Sestokas (Danbury, Conn.) also recorded multiple hits for Mitchell. Yaworski and Falk both homered, while Sestokas reached safely four times in five plate appearances with two singles and a pair of walks.

Mitchell opened the scoring in the home half of the first on back-to-back RBI singles by Adorno and Sestokas.

The Bears scored their lone run of the contest in the top of the third inning to cut the deficit to 2-1. Sophomore centerfielder DJ Prampin (Worcester, Mass.) doubled to lead off the frame and raced home two batters later on an RBI infield single by sophomore second baseman Scott Emerson (Peabody, Mass.). Prampin was the only Bear with multiple hits on the afternoon as he went 2-for-3.

The Mariners got the run right back in the bottom of the third on a Robbins' RBI single. Mitchell tacked on two more runs in the fifth on an Adorno sacrifice fly and a Sestokas RBI single. Falk belted a solo blast in the sixth while Robbins connected for an RBI double in the frame to make it a 7-1 game.

The Mariners then sent 14 batters to the plate in the ten-run seventh to put the game well out of reach. Mitchell recorded six hits in the inning, including a two-run homer by Yaworski, four walks and a hit by pitch.

Senior righthander Eddie Kaftan (Old Lyme, Conn.) retired the side in the eight and freshman righty Jacob Quiles (Wallkill, N.Y.) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to wrap up the win for the Mariners. The three Mitchell hurlers induced 15 ground outs on the afternoon including a pair of double plays.

Senior righthander Matthew Seavey (North Attleboro, Mass.) allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits over four innings in the setback for the Bears. Seavey (0-1) walked three and fanned three.

Four BSU relievers combined to give up 14 runs on 14 hits over four innings with five walks and five strikeouts.

The Bears travel to Rhode Island College on Thursday afternoon for a three o'clock game with the Anchormen. The Mariners entertain the Pilgrims of New England College in a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.