Long Ball Leads Baseball Past Nichols

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College held on for a 6-4 victory over Nichols College on Wednesday afternoon in a non-conference baseball clash at Alumni Field.

Francis Prettitore went 3-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI to lead the Mariners (19-10 overall). Brody Adams also went deep for Mitchell and drove in a pair of runs. Nick Roy went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI to pace the Bison (15-13 overall).

Mitchell jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Tristan Hurley led off with a walk and moved to third on a ground-rule double by Kyle Hartenstein. A ground ball from Prettitore plated the first run, and Hartenstein later scored on a wild pitch for the early two-run advantage.

Mitchell's final four runs all came courtesy of the long ball. Prettitore connected for a two-out homer in the third inning, driving the ball over the fence in center field to make it 3-0. Adams blasted his first career homer in the fourth, a two-run shot to left that found the bleachers. Prettitore then tacked on a solo shot to the opposite field in the fifth—his team-leading fourth home run of the season—to put the Mariners up 6-0. 

Nichols cut the deficit in half behind a three-run eighth inning. Cam Cook doubled to lead off the frame and Roy followed with a two-run homer to left-center to put the Bison on the scoreboard. An RBI single by Chris Cerniglia made it a three-run game, and Nichols had a runner at second with two outs when Mitchell went to Eddie Santiago out of the bullpen. Santiago walked the first batter he faced to bring the tying run to the plate, but he promptly picked the runner off first base to escape the jam.

In the ninth, the Bison scored their fourth run on a fielder's choice to cut the margin to two. Nichols then put the tying runs in scoring position with two outs, although Santiago got a fly ball to deep center to end the game.

Mitchell starter Axel De Jesus cruised through 4.0 shutout innings and allowed only one hit. Brian Ricker, who picked up the win in relief, lasted 3.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits. Santiago nailed down the final four outs of the game to earn his second save of the season. Nichols starter Tyler Crane took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits over 4.0 innings.

Mitchell will next host Lesley University for a doubleheader on Saturday, April 22 at noon. Nichols returns to action at home with a pair of games against Gordon College on Saturday at noon.