Baseball Opens Season by Blanking Albertus

NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Mitchell College baseball team opened up their 2023 campaign by routing Albertus Magnus 11-0 on Thursday afternoon in a non-conference showdown which was shortened to seven innings due to darkness.

The Mariners pounded out 11 hits on the day, as senior catcher Matt Falk (Enfield, Conn.) led the way, going 2-2 with a home run, five RBI, and a pair of walks. Falk's three run homer to left center in the bottom of the fifth inning extended the Mitchell lead to 9-0, yet the insurance wasn't necessary thanks to a pair of standout pitching performances.

Senior righty Camren Varney (Manchester, N.H.) got the start for the Mariners and picked up the win, tossing five innings of two hit ball, striking out eight, and walking only two. Fellow senior Ryan Solimine (Danbury, Conn.) took over in the top of the sixth, working a pair of shutout innings, surrendering only a pair of hits, and retiring two by way of the strikeout.

Mitchell wasted no time opening up the scoring, as Dougie DelaCruz (Uncasville, Conn.) doubled to left field in the bottom of the first to score Angel Galindez (Carolina, P.R.) before Falk tripled to center field the very next batter, scoring DelaCruz.

The Mariners scored twice more in the bottom of the second, the first on an RBI groundout by Bo Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.) and the second when Falk was hit by a pitch a few batters later with the bases loaded. Mitchell tacked on two more in the fourth by taking advantage of righty Christian Corliss, who had come on in relief of starter Justin Marks. Corliss walked Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) with the bases loaded then the very next batter hit Matthew Blackwell (Ansonia, Conn.), subsequently plating two runs.

Falk's first homer of the season followed in the fifth inning, before Mitchell capped their scoring in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single by Yaworski and a two-run double off the bat of Lelo Martinez (New London, Conn.).

The Falcons finished with just three hits, courtesy of Ron Losacano, Sean Jefferson, and Jason Sullivan. Marks, who got the opening day nod on the mound, was chased after just three innings and five earned runs. Corliss, who came on in relief, allowed five runs in just two and one third innings.

Mitchell (1-0 overall) will host Salem State for a doubleheader on Saturday, March 4^th, with the action getting underway at 12:00 pm. Albertus Magnus (0-1) return to the diamond on Wednesday, March 8^th, when they host Mt. St. Mary (N.Y.).