Baseball Completes Sweep of Newbury

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team completed a series sweep of Newbury College on Monday afternoon, winning 9-5 in a nine inning affair in New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) action at Alumni Field.

Mitchell starter Mike Tandy picked up his first victory of the season with a strong outing on the mound. He pitched 7.0 innings and gave up two runs on two hits while striking out three. Sophomore Drew Doyle had two hits and drove in three runs to help power the offense.

Tandy worked around two walks and a hit batter in the first inning to keep Newbury off the scoreboard. Mitchell then struck for a run in the bottom of the frame on an RBI single by sophomore Evan Peck that scored junior Marc Dorsi.

The Mariners added a pair of runs in the second to go up 3-0. Sophomore Gavin LaLima plated the first run with a single through the left side, and Doyle followed with a sacrifice fly to right to bring in Nova Crespo.

The Nighthawks cut into the deficit in the third on a two-out, two-run homer by Matthew Clawson over the left-center fence. It was Clawson's first long ball of the season.

After allowing the home run, Tandy settled into a groove and retired the next 13 batters he faced. Meanwhile, the Mariners increased the lead to 5-2 in the seventh. Doyle tripled to left-center and later scored, and freshman Neftali Arroyo plated a run with a ground out.

Newbury threatened in the eighth by putting two runners on with nobody out. However, freshman Josh Zurita came on in relief for the Mariners and got three straight outs to escape the jam. Mitchell then added four runs in the home half of the eighth as freshman Jon Padilla and Doyle each delivered two-run singles.

The Nighthawks struck for three runs in their final chance at the plate. Ryan Sinclair drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the first run, and Mack Flynn followed with a poke into left field to bring home another. Michael Dwyer also picked up an RBI in the frame, but the game ended when Newbury tried to score on a sacrifice fly to right and Doyle threw out the runner at the plate.

Cameron D'Agostino made the start on the hill for Newbury and lasted 7.0 innings. He gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and struck out two. He also had one of three Newbury hits in the game.

Mitchell (6-5 overall, 3-0 NECC) will next play a doubleheader at Anna Maria College on Sunday, March 24 at noon. Newbury (3-8 overall, 0-3 NECC) returns to action at home against Rivier College on Thursday, March 21 at 7 p.m.