Mountaineers Rally Past Mariners In The Ninth in NECC Playoffs

BENNINGTON, Vt. - The Inaugural New England Collegiate Conference Baseball Championship Playoffs kicked off Friday morning with the Southern Vermont College Mountaineers rallying in the bottom of the ninth as they scored three runs to slip past the Mitchell College Mariners 11-10 with the winning run coming on a catcher interference with the bases loaded.

The Mountaineers (12-24) were led by freshman Eric Wells (Athens, Pa.) who went 3-for-4 with five RBI, and got the win (2-6) on the mound in relief. Sophomore Adam Northup (Richmond, R.I.) also had solid numbers as he went 2-for-4 with three RBI including a two run homer to centerfield. Sophomore Brett Pawlak (Shelton, Conn.) rounded out SVC's offensive blast hitting four singles and scoring four runs.

The Mariners (10-20) were led by Jeffrey Perillo (Newington, Conn.) who crushed a two run homer in the third inning and finished the day hitting 4-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored. Leadoff hitter Paul Martinez (New London, Conn.) kicked off the game for Mitchell with a triple and ended up going 3-for-3, scoring three times, and walking twice. Picking up the loss was left-handed  junior Jeremy Chapman (Waterford, Conn.). Chapman (2-4) struck out one giving up three runs in one and two thirds of relief.

Mitchell will play at tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. against the Elms College Blazers (16-18), while Southern Vermont plays the Becker College Hawks (15-14-1) at 1:00 p.m. at Epstein Field.