Baseball Holds Off Monks for Victory in GNAC Opener

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College senior Camren Varney (Manchester, N.H.) allowed just two earned runs across seven and two third innings of work, helping power the Mariners to a 4-3 victory over Saint Joseph's College (ME) in the GNAC opener for both ball clubs.

Varney gave up just four hits and three walks, striking out five, while junior Jadan Canelli (Northford, Conn.) picked up his fourth win of the season in relief, and junior Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.) recorded his first save of the spring.

The Monks jumped ahead in the top of the first on an RBI single to left field off the bat of sophomore Jared Wilhelm. It remained a one run game until the bottom of the fifth when freshman catcher Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) ripped a two run single through the ride side, and senior Cole Lalli (Coventry, Conn.) followed with a sacrifice fly to left field, vaulting Mitchell ahead 3-1.

Senior Luke Stephens pushed two runs across for the Monks with a single up the middle in the top of the eighth inning, knotting the score at 3-3 and chasing Varney from the game. Canelli then took to the mound and punched out Matt Elwell on strikes with runners on second and third to keep the score tied.

With darkness setting in, the Mariners were able to score the go-ahead run when sophomore Savier Paige (Windsor, Conn.) raced home following a throwing error by the Monk's second baseman, who sailed a ball wide while attempting to turn a double-play.

Chris Gibbs took the ball for the Mariners in the top of the ninth, and after retiring the first batter by way of the strikeout, surrendered back to back singles. After striking out another SJC batter for the second out of the inning, Gibbs closed the door by getting Dawson Gundlah to ground out to him, preserving the victory for the Mariners, which snapped a two game losing skid.

Ficocelli finished the day 2-4 with two RBI for Mitchell, while senior Michael Gajda (New Britain, Conn.) also had two hits, and senior Justin Adorno (New Britain, Conn.) went 1-4 with one RBI and one run scored.

Graduate student Matthew Bergeron was tagged with the loss after allowing nine hits and four runs (two earned) across seven and one third innings of work.

Michael Wearne and Jared Wilhelm had two hits apiece for the Monks, while Wilhelm finished with one RBI, and both players scored one run.

The Mariners (9-6, 1-0 GNAC) will return to conference play at home on Sunday, March 24th, with a 12:00 pm matinee against Norwich University. The Monks (3-8, 0-1 GNAC) will look to bounce back when they travel for a non-conference doubleheader at Clark University, also on Sunday, March 24th.