Baseball Tops Newbury Behind Santiago's Gem

NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team captured the final game of a three-game set against Newbury College on Wednesday, winning by a 6-1 final in New England Collegiate Conference action at Alumni Field.

Mitchell starter Eddie Santiago tossed a complete-game two-hitter and struck out a career-high 11 batters. Garet Griffin went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored to lead the Mariners at the plate while Francis Prettitore went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI.

Newbury jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Justin Banks led off the game with a single to right field and later scored on a double by Billy Stephen. However, those would be the only two hits that Santiago would surrender on the day.

Mitchell answered back with two runs in the bottom of the second. Griffin led off with a double and came home on a sacrifice fly by Markus Melendez. Tristan Hurley then doubled to right field and scored on a base hit by Steven Gonzalez to put the Mariners in front. 

Prettitore made it a 4-1 lead in the fifth inning with a two-out, two-run homer to right, his first of the season. Hurley scored on an error in the sixth and Griffin came home on a wild pitch in the eighth to provide the final runs of the game.

Santiago (2-1 overall) didn't need the insurance runs as he retired the final 26 batters he faced. He recorded a strikeout in every inning but the eighth and didn't issue a free pass.

Mitchell (12-6 overall, 2-1 NECC) will next host Becker College on Saturday, April 1 at noon. Newbury (11-9 overall, 3-3 NECC) returns to action at home against Rivier University on Thursday, March 30 at 3:30 p.m.