Hot Bats Power Baseball Past Elms

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team scored a combined 28 runs on 30 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Elms College on Saturday afternoon, finishing with 19-9 and 9-3 victories to remain atop the NECC standings.

The Mariners never trailed at any point in either contest. Freshman Anthony Santiago and junior John Apostolo powered the Mitchell offense. Santiago went 6-for-9 with a double, three RBI and six runs scored on the day while Apostolo went 5-for-8 with a double, homer, five RBI and four runs scored.

Mitchell improved to 14-5-1 overall and 9-2 in the NECC. Elms dropped to 9-14 overall and 2-6 in conference play. The Blazers will host the Mariners for the final game of the weekend series on Sunday at noon.

Game 1 – Mitchell 19, Elms 9

Mitchell scored runs in every inning but the sixth and led 19-1 heading into the final frame. Elms scored eight runs in the seventh inning but couldn't make up the difference.

The Mariners jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning behind a three-run homer by junior Felix Colarte, his second long ball of the season. Mitchell added four more runs in the second inning to extend the margin to 7-0. Senior Drew Rossi plated the first run with a single and Santiago followed with a RBI double. Junior Gus Maclao finished off the rally with a two-out single to drive in the final two runs.

Mitchell batted around in the third inning and scored a total of seven runs. Santiago and sophomore Osmer Collado each drove in a pair of runs with base hits in the frame.

Elms got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Donald Morse put a ball in play to score Stephen Fisher from third base. Morse, who also singled with the bases loaded in the seventh, finished with a pair of hits and three RBI in the game.

Apostolo hit a two-run homer to left in the bottom of the fourth to put the Mariners up 16-1. It was his team-leading sixth home run of the season. Mitchell then tacked on three more runs in the fifth, scoring two runs on wild pitches and a third on a RBI single by senior Jeff Perillo.

Senior right-hander Paul Martinez got the start on the hill for the Mariners and allowed one run on three hits in 5.0 innings of work. He also struck out six batters without issuing a walk and improved to 4-1 overall on the season.

Elms starter Curtis LeBeau lasted 2.0 innings and allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on nine hits and struck out one. The Blazers used a total of five pitchers in the game.

All but one Mitchell starter finished with a hit. Perillo and Collado each had three hits in the contest.

Game 2 – Mitchell 9, Elms 3

Apostolo, the starting pitcher for the Mariners in the second game, helped his own cause in the first inning with a RBI single through the left side of the infield. Maclao followed with a double later in the frame to plate another run and give Mitchell a 2-0 lead.

The Mariners doubled their lead with two runs in the third inning. Apostolo delivered another RBI single and later scored on a throwing error.

The Blazers pushed across a pair of runs in the fourth to cut the deficit in half. Andrew Kravontka put Elms on the board with a RBI single, and Carm Bonavita drove in the next run with a ground out to second.

Colarte put the Mariners up 5-2 in the fifth with a RBI single through a drawn in infield. Mitchell then broke the game open with a four-run sixth to go up 9-2. Apostolo doubled to drive in a run, and Colarte and senior Carlos Hughes each produced RBI singles.

Apostolo, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI at the plate, went the distance on the mound and allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits. He also struck out four and walked three and improved to 6-1 overall on the season.

Nick Cordeiro took the loss for the Blazers. He allowed nine runs (seven earned) on 15 hits in 6.0 innings. He struck out four and walked two.