Lalli’s Big Day Fuels Comeback for Baseball Over Brockport

AUBURNDALE, Fla. - Senior Cole Lalli (Coventry, Conn.) belted a game tying grand slam in the eighth inning and added a go-ahead two run double in the ninth to power the Mitchell College baseball team past SUNY Brockport 9-7 on Friday evening at Lake Myrtle Park in the Russmatt Baseball Invitational.

The Mariners trailed by four runs entering the eighth inning before Lalli's blast tied the game at 7-7. Lalli then came through an inning later, ripping a go-ahead two run double to left field to push the Mariners on top for good, giving the team a 5-3 record during their eight games in Florida.

Lalli finished 2-4 with a home run, a double, six RBI, and a run scored. Senior Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) went 4-4 with two RBI and a pair of runs scored, while freshman Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) collected multiple hits for the fourth time this season with a 3-4 day at the plate. Freshman Chas Terni Jr. (Montville, Conn.) and sophomore Savier Paige (Windsor, Conn.) also had two hits apiece.

Brockport jumped out to an early lead, plating one run in the first inning before adding another in the second off Mitchell starting pitcher Nicholas Strojny (Woonsocket, R.I.). An RBI single off the bat of Owen Robbins trimmed the deficit to one run in the top of the third, but the Golden Eagles pushed one a run across in both the third and fourth inning to make it a 4-1 ballgame.

The Mariners got two back in the top of the fifth on an RBI single by senior Angel Galindez (Carolina, PR) and a run scoring double by Robbins, but two more Brockport runs in the seventh positioned the Golden Eagles with a 7-3 lead entering the eighth inning.

Lalli's second homer of the season scored Terni Jr, Ficocelli, and Robbins to knot the score at 7-7, and then his double to left gave the Mariners the lead when Ficocelli and Robbins once again raced home.

Jadon Canelli (Northford, Conn.) came out of the bullpen and tossed five and two third innings to earn his third win of the season. The junior righty surrendered two earned runs and three hits, striking out five along the way.

Matt McGowan got the start for Brockport, who were playing in their first game since March 2nd. McGowan turned in an effective performance across four and one third innings, allowing just two earned runs. Ryan Peters took the loss in relief after giving up two runs and three hits over the final one and a third innings. Brian Tietjen and Josh Indek led the Golden Eagles at the plate, each recording two hits and combining for three RBI and three runs scored.

The Mariners (8-4, 0-0 GNAC) will return to New London for their next game, a non-conference matchup with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Tuesday, March 19th, at 3:30 pm.