Baseball Sweeps Trinity
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team picked up a pair of victories over Trinity College on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field, winning by final scores of 12-0 and 12-9.
The Mariners (13-3 overall) received a pitching gem by Al Jordan Johnson in the opener before having to overcome a six-run deficit in the second game. Chandler Whitney went 4-for-6 with a double, two RBI and six runs scored in the doubleheader to pace the Mitchell offense.
Mitchell will next play at Westfield State University on Monday, March 28 at 1:30 p.m. Trinity (5-8 overall) returns to action at Keene State College on Tuesday, March 29 at 3:30 p.m.
Game 1 – Mitchell 12, Trinity 0 (7 innings)
Johnson was dominant and efficient from the opening pitch. He faced a total of 23 batters in the contest and no more than four in any inning, wrapping up his first shutout of the season behind 77 pitches over 7.0 innings. He allowed only three hits and finished with six strikeouts and no walks to improve to 4-0 on the season.
The Mariners provided Johnson with plenty of run support, piling up runs in each of the first five innings. A five-run second inning broke the game open as Mitchell sent 10 batters to the plate. Garet Griffin, Tyler Pina, Francis Prettitore and Whitney all recorded RBI singles in the frame as the lead ballooned to 7-0.
Jack Finnegan and Markus Melendez each drove in runs in the fourth as Mitchell went up 11-0. An RBI single by Finnegan in the fifth plated the final run of the game.
Daniel Pidgeon went 2-for-3 with a double to lead Trinity. Nick Fusco lasted 3.0 innings and allowed nine runs (seven earned) and struck out one in the loss.
Game 2 – Mitchell 12, Trinity 9 (9 innings)
The Bantams came out swinging in the second game and built an 8-2 lead over the first three innings. Brendan Pierce plated a run with a sacrifice fly in the first, and Richard Spencer led off the second with a solo homer over the left field fence. Nick DiBenedetto also tacked on an RBI single in the second before Trinity broke out for five runs in the third. Scott Cullinane, Nick Pezzella and Mackenze Genauer all delivered RBI singles in the rally.
Mitchell cut the deficit in half with a three-run sixth inning that was highlighted by a two-run single to left by Connor Farmer. The Mariners then took their first lead of the game behind four runs in the seventh. Tristan Hurley came through with a two-out double with the bases loaded, slicing a ball past the third base bag to bring in the tying and go-ahead runs.
The Bantams scratched across a run in the eighth to tie the game at 9-9. Johnny Stamatis led off with a walk and later scored on a wild pitch. Trinity then had the go-ahead run at third with only one out before reliever Marcus Guadarrama struck out the next two batters to end the threat.
Mitchell loaded the bases to start the eighth and took the lead for good when Dan Frattaroli drew a free pass to force in Pina. Finnegan followed with a single through the left side to score another run, and pinch hitter Peter Abate drew a walk to force in a third. Trinity reliever Sam Jordan did well to limit the damage, striking out the next three batters to keep it a 12-9 game.
After Guadarrama allowed a leadoff walk in the ninth, the Mariners turned the ball over to closer Domenick Giaramida, who picked up three quick outs to record his fourth save of the season. Guadarrama (2-0) earned the win in 2.0 innings of relief and struck out five.
Trinity reliever Chris Speer suffered the loss, allowing three runs on one hit in 0.1 innings. Starting pitcher Anthony Egeln Jr. went 5.1 innings and allowed five runs on six hits while striking out three.