Baseball Takes Both Games of Twin Bill with Spalding

AUBURNDALE, Fla. – The Mitchell College baseball team snapped a two game losing skid by sweeping a doubleheader on Wednesday against Spalding University in the Russmatt Baseball Invitational at Lake Myrtle Park, convincingly winning the first game 10-2 before holding off the Golden Eagles 6-4 in the second game

The Mariners (7-3, 0-0 GNAC) contiunue their spring break trip on Thursday, March 14th, when they take to the diamond against #9 Johns Hopkins University at 3:30 pm from Lake Myrtle Park in Auburndale, Florida.

Game 1, Mitchell 10, Spalding 2 (7 Innings)

The Mariners found themselves down 1-0 early in their first game of the day when a Spalding loaded the bases in the top of the first inning and scored on a failed pickoff attempt to second base. Eager to snap their two-game losing streak, Mitchell countered with five runs in the bottom half of the first, highlighted by a sacrifice fly off the bat of freshman Chas Terni Jr. (Montville Conn.) and an RBI single by freshman Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.).

Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) belted his first home run of the season to lead off the bottom of the second inning, and the score remained 6-1 until a Mitchell error allowed the Golden Eagles to plate their second run of the day in the top of the sixth. The Mariners tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the frame, with sophomore Adam Vartanian (Cumberland, R.I.) and senior Angel Galindez (Carolina, PR) each collecting RBI singles, while Owen Robbins drove home Vartanian with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Robbins finished 2-3 with two RBI and two runs scored to lead the Mitchell offense, while Michael Ficocelli turned in his second consecutive multi-hit game, finishing 2-4 with an RBI and one run scored.

Jacob Quiles (Wallkill, N.Y.) tossed five and one third innings or two-run ball (both unearned) to improve to 2-1 on the spring. The sophomore surrendered just two hits and four walks, striking out seven, before junior Jadon Canelli (Northford, Conn.) came out of the bullpen to work one and two third no-hit innings of relief.

Starting pitcher Jake Mueller was tagged with four hits and five runs (two earned) in his lone inning of work, dropping to 0-2 on the season.

Game 2 – Mitchell 6, Spalding 4 (7 Innings)

The Mariners trailed 2-0 in the second game of their doubleheader with Spalding until freshman Chas Terni Jr. (Montville, Conn.) belted his second home run of the spring, a two-run shot, to tie the game in the top of the sixth inning.

An RBI single by Spalding's Michael Speck pushed the Golden Eagles back on top by one run in the bottom half of the sixth, and down to their final three outs, the Mitchell bats came alive.

Owen Robbins started the scoring with RBI single to center field. After Michael Ficocelli walked, Cole Lalli (Coventry, Conn.) laced a two-run single, which was followed by another RBI single, this one off the bat of Terni Jr., which increased the Mitchell lead to 6-3.

The Golden Eagles managed to plate one run in the bottom of the seventh, but Jadon Canelli (Northford, Conn.) got two batters to strikeout and the retired the final out on a pop fly to the centerfielder. Canelli earned his third win of the spring after working one inning out of the bullpen. He came on in relief of starter Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.) who allowed three runs and nine hits over six innings, striking out eight.

Michael Ficocelli finished the day 3-3 with a walk and two runs scored, marking the third consecutive game the freshman has recorded multiple hits. After being held hitless in the first game of the day, Terni Jr. rebounded and went 2-4 with three RBI and one run scored.