Baseball Can't Hold On Against Heidelberg
Photo courtesy of Jeff Garvin, Heidelberg University
PUNTA GORDA, Fla. -- The Mitchell College baseball team couldn't hold on to an early lead and lost 9-4 to Heidelberg University on Sunday afternoon at the Snowbird Classic at South City Regional Park.
The Mariners held leads of 2-0 and 4-3 in the early innings but were held scoreless for the final five frames. Heidelberg relievers Brady Ansara and Zach Doran combined to throw 5.2 shutout innings to close out the game.
Mitchell got on the scoreboard in the second inning courtesy of an RBI double by Jack Finnegan. A fielding error on a single by Tyler Pina brought in another run in the third, although the Student Princes put up three runs in the home half to take the lead.
Francis Prettitore put Mitchell back in front in the fourth. After Heidelberg starter Alex Sir Louis walked the bases loaded, Prettitore delivered a two-out, two-run single to center off Ansara to make it 4-3.
A two-run fifth inning put Heidelberg on top for good. The Student Princes added insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to pad the lead.
The two teams combined to issue 25 walks on the day. Mitchell's six pitchers yielded only four hits in the contest--all off starter Eddie Santiago--but gave up 12 free passes.
Mitchell will next face Bluffton University on Monday, March 6 at 11 a.m.