Baseball Sets School Record for Wins, Clinches Top Spot in NECC

BENNINGTON, Vt. — Mitchell College completed a three-game sweep of Southern Vermont College by a 17-3 final on Sunday afternoon, setting a school record for single season victories (25) while also clinching the top spot in the New England Collegiate Conference regular season standings.

The Mariners (25-3 overall, 14-1 NECC) also extended their winning streak to 10 games. As the top seed in the upcoming NECC Championship, Mitchell has earned the right to host the double-elimination tournament on May 8-10.

Mitchell put up five runs in the first and another two in the top of the third before SVC got on the scoreboard with a lone run in the bottom of the frame. A six-run Mariner fifth put the visitors ahead comfortably, and they would only allow one Mountaineer run in both the sixth and eighth innings to walk out with the win.

Four Mariners tallied a pair of hits in the win with Tyler Pina registering a 2-for-3 performance with the stick, knocking in four runs and scoring one more. Evan Peck went 2-for-4 with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored while Rafael Garcia was 1-for-3 with two walks, two runs batted in and three runs scored.

Chris Nicastro and Roland Hernandez were both 2-for-4 at the plate for Southern Vermont while stealing a base apiece, and Cody LaBadia also added a 2-for-4 showing to go with a pair of RBI. RJ Pingitore went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, and Sal Sciara was 1-for-4 with a run scored in the effort.

Peck and Garcia tallied back-to-back two-run hits in the first for Mitchell to go on top 5-0 early on, and the Mariners increased their lead in the top of the third when Pina lined a two-run single up the middle.

A Sciara base hit in the home half of the third saw him advance two bases on an infield throwing error, and a fielder's choice to third brought the senior captain home to score the first SVC run of the day. Mitchell then put up six more runs in the fifth, the first two crossing the dish on another run-scoring single off Pina's bat. Peck capped the frame's scoring with a single to the gap in right-center, putting his team ahead by a 13-1 tally.

The Mariners tacked up two in the sixth when Nate Narducci tagged a two-run pinch hit homer to right for just his second hit of the season. It also marked the senior's first career home run. 

LaBadia batted in Pingitore with a single to left in the bottom of the box, but Mitchell crossed the dish two more times in the eighth to expand its upper hand. LaBadia again knocked in Pingitore in the bottom of the eighth, but it would not be enough as Mitchell starter Axel De Jesus finished his complete-game victory for the sweep.

De Jesus improved to 3-2 on the season and allowed three runs (two earned) on 10 hits. SVC right-hander Joshua Hay (0-2 overall) suffered the loss after going 5.0 innings with the start, striking out six batters in his time on the hill.

Mitchell will next play Coast Guard Academy on Wednesday, April 29 at Dodd Stadium in Norwich, Conn. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.