Gilblair Earns Pair of Wins in Head Coaching Debut for Mariners Baseball Team

CARY, N.C. – The Mitchell College baseball team opened the season by sweeping William Peace University to give head coach Shawn Gilblair a pair of wins in his collegiate head coaching debut.

The Mariners won the opener 8-4 and the nightcap 17-5 in seven innings.

The same teams will play a single game at noon tomorrow to wrap up the season-opening three-game series.

GAME ONE - MITCHELL 8, WILLIAM PEACE 4

Jadon Canelli (Northford, Conn.) pitched the final 4 ⅓ innings and scattered five hits, did not walk a batter and fanned five and Mitchell scored four runs in the eighth leading the Mariners to an 8-4 come-from-behind win.

Savier Paige (Wethersfield, Conn.) had three hits including a pair of doubles to lead the Mariners 12 hit attack while Robbie Delacruz (Uncasville, Conn.) and Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) also had a pair of hits for Mitchell.

William Peace took a 3-0 lead in the first before the Mariners scored twice in the third as Paige scored on a passed ball and Robbins added an RBI double to cut the deficit to 3-2.

The Pacers got one back in the home half of the third and the score remained 4-2 into the seventh.

Angel Galindez (Carolina, PR) had an RBI groundout in the seventh making the score 4-3.

In the four run eighth, Chas Terni Jr.'s (Montville, Conn.) RBI double tied the game before Nicholas Bracale's (East Haven, Conn.) two-run double gave the Mariners a 6-4 lead. Mitchell got an insurance run on an RBI single by Paige to cap the inning taking a 7-4 lead.

The Mariners added an unearned run in the ninth while Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) scored on a passed ball to close the scoring.

GAME TWO – MITCHELL 17, WILLIAMS PEACE 5 (7)

Galdindez homered to lead off the game and the Mariners scored seven runs in the first and had an eight run fifth inning as the Mariners completed the opening day sweep of the Pacers.

Bracale was 3 for 4 with a double and three runs scored while Galindez had two hits including the homer and drove in a pair.

Robbins and Vartanian each drove in three for Mitchell.

Mitchell led 17-0 before William Peace scored five times in the seventh.

The Mariners scored seven runs on four hits in the first and eight runs on five hits in the fifth.

Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.) allowed just three hits over the first four innings, did not walk a batter while fanning six to pick up the win.