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DelaCruz Walkoff Sends Top-Seeded Baseball Past Lesley in NECC Tournament Opener

DelaCruz Walkoff Sends Top-Seeded Baseball Past Lesley in NECC Tournament Opener

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Mitchell College senior Dougie DelaCruz (Uncasville, Conn.) belted a walkoff solo home run over the left field fence in the bottom of the ninth inning Friday afternoon, powering the top-seeded Mariner baseball team past fourth-seeded Lesley University 3-2 in the opening game of the NECC tournament.

DelaCruz, who finished 3-5 with one RBI and one run scored, found himself behind in the count 1-2 before jumping on an inside breaking ball delivered by Lesley junior Logan Watts, sending the ball soaring over the left field fence.

Up until that moment, the Lynx had battled with the Mariners over the first eight and a half innings, proving to be a much tougher out than in any of their four meetings so far this spring, in which Mitchell outscored Lesley 28-7.

With senior started Eddie Kaftan (Old Lyme, Conn.) on the mound, the Mariners got out to an early lead when Matt Falk (Enfield, Conn.) drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. Freshma Thai-ler Sestokas (Danbury, Conn.) made it 2-0 in favor of the home team the following inning with a double into right field.

The Lynx knotted the score in the fifth, tagging Kaftan for a pair of runs when Adam Budorick laced a two-run ringle into centerfield.

The Lynx looked in position to make a move in the top of the ninth when Christian McElroy led off the frame with a bunt single, but Mitchell's Kenny Heon (Uncasville, Conn.) got the next batter to line out and followed that up by inducing a double play ball in the infield.

Heon picked up the win, tossing two and two third innings of two-hit ball out of the bullpen. Kaftan, who worked six and one third innings was charged with two runs and eight hits, striking out four and walking just one batter.

Freshman Roy Lenhard got the start for Lesley and worked five innings of two-run ball, scattering 10 hits and collecting three strikeouts.

Sophomore Bo Yaworski (Brooklyn, Conn.) also had three hits on the day, while Angel Galindez (Carolina PR) went 2-5 with a double and a run scored, Owen Robbins (East Lyme, Conn.) added a double of his own, and Justin Adorno (New Britain, Conn.) finished 2-4 with a run scored.

Budorick, Andrew Gryniewicz, and Christian McElroy each had multi-hit games for Lesley in the loss.

The Mariners (29-8 overall) will face third-seeded New England College at 12:00 pm tomorrow in New London, after the Pilgrims were 10-7 winners over second-seeded Eastern Nazarene College in the second game of the NECC tournament.

All games in the NECC baseball tournament are hosted by Mitchell College.

 

 

Meet The Coach
Mar01

Postponed
Coast Guard
VS Mitchell
Mar02

Final - 7 innings
0 Albertus Magnus
11 VS Mitchell
Mar04

Postponed
Salem St.
VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
Mar04

Postponed
Salem St.
VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
Mar07

Final
2 Westfield St.
16 VS Mitchell
Mar09

Final
8 Kean
14 VS Mitchell
@ Punta Gorda, Fla. Snowbird Baseball
Mar10

Final
10 Mitchell
6 VS Heidelberg
@ Port Charlotte, FL Snowbird Baseball
Mar11

Final
6 Mitchell
10 VS Denison
@ Port Charlotte, FL Snowbird Baseball
Mar12

Final
19 Mitchell
7 VS Wooster
@ Port Charlotte, FL Snowbird Baseball
Mar14

Final - 7 innings
13 Coe
12 VS Mitchell
@ Auburndale, FL RussMatt Invitational
Mar14

Final - 7 innings
3 Mitchell
1 VS Coe
@ Auburndale, FL RussMatt Invitational
Mar15

Final - 7 innings
1 Mitchell
2 VS Minn.-Morris
@ Davenport, FL RussMatt Invitational
Mar15

Final - 7 innings
0 Minn.-Morris
8 VS Mitchell
@ Davenport, FL RussMatt Invitational
Mar16

Final - 8 innings
20 Mitchell
7 VS Marymount (Va.)
@ Davenport, Fla. RussMatt Invitational
Mar21

Final
1 Bridgewater St.
17 VS Mitchell
Mar24

Final - 7 innings
0 New England Col.
7 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
Mar24

Final - 7 innings
1 New England Col.
16 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
Mar26

Final - 9 innings
8 Husson
17 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader (7 & 9)
Mar26

Final - 7 innings
2 Husson
6 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader (7 & 9)
Mar29

Final
19 Mitchell
3 AT Mass.-Dartmouth
Apr01

Final - 7 innings
12 Mitchell
1 AT Eastern Nazarene
at Libby Field - Weymouth, Mass.
Apr01

Final - 7 innings
12 Mitchell
1 AT Eastern Nazarene
at Libby Field - Weymouth, Mass.
Apr02

Final
4 Mitchell
6 AT Western New Eng.
Apr05

Final
5 Anna Maria
6 VS Mitchell
Apr06

Final
4 Mitchell
3 AT Clark University
Apr08

Final - 7 innings
4 Lesley
7 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
Apr08

Final - 7 innings
0 Lesley
9 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
Apr11

Final
13 Mitchell
3 AT Wesleyan (Conn.)
Apr12

Final - 7 innings
3 Mass. Maritime
18 VS Mitchell
Apr15

Final
4 Mitchell
0 AT New England Col.
Doubleheader
Apr15

Final
13 Mitchell
1 AT New England Col.
Doubleheader
Apr16

Final - 7 innings
12 Salve Regina
5 VS Mitchell
Apr16

Final
15 Salve Regina
7 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader (7 & 9)
Apr19

Final
11 Mitchell
7 AT Keene St.
Apr22

Final - 7 innings
8 Mitchell
3 AT Lesley
Doubleheader
Apr22

Final - 7 innings
7 Mitchell
0 AT Lesley
Doubleheader
Apr26

Final
4 Mitchell
8 AT Stonehill
Apr28

Final - 7 innings
3 Eastern Nazarene
2 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
Apr28

Final - 7 innings
5 Eastern Nazarene
11 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader
May05

Final
2 Lesley
3 VS Mitchell
NECC Championship Game 1
May06

Final
2 New England Col.
28 VS Mitchell
NECC Championship Game 4
May07

Final
2 Eastern Nazarene
15 VS Mitchell
NECC Championship
May19

Final
6 Mitchell
5 VS Tufts
@ New London, Conn. NCAA New London, Conn. Regional: Game 2
May21

Final
4 Wheaton (Mass.)
7 VS Mitchell
@ New London, Conn. NCAA New London, Conn. Regional: Game 4
May22

Final
6 Wheaton (Mass.)
5 VS Mitchell
@ New London, Conn. NCAA New London, Conn. Regional: Game 6
May22

Final
3 Mitchell
5 VS Wheaton (Mass.)
@ New London, Conn. NCAA New London, Conn. Regional: Game 7
Feb17

Final
8 Mitchell
4 AT William Peace
USA Baseball NTC | Cary, N.C.
Feb17

Final - 7 innings
17 Mitchell
5 AT William Peace
Doubleheader | USA Baseball NTC | Cary, N.C.
Feb18

Final - 7 innings
7 Mitchell
17 AT William Peace
Doubleheader | USA Baseball NTC | Cary, N.C.
Mar03

Final
2 Brandeis
7 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar06

Postponed
0 Coast Guard
0 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar08

Final - 10 innings
4 Wis.-Oshkosh
5 VS Mitchell
@ Winter Haven, Fla Russmatt Baseball Invitational
Mar09

Final
6 Mitchell
5 VS Coe
@ Davenport, FL Russmatt Baseball Invitational
Mar10

Final
13 Southern Me.
3 VS Mitchell
@ Sanford, Fla. Russmatt Baseball Invitational
Mar11

Final
6 Mitchell
10 AT #23 Webster
Russmatt Baseball Invitational
Mar13

Final - 7 innings
2 Spalding
10 VS Mitchell
@ Auburndale, Fla. Russmatt Baseball Invitational (DH 7 Innings)
Mar13

Final - 8 innings
6 Mitchell
4 VS Spalding
@ Auburndale, FL Russmatt Baseball Invitational (DH 7 Innings)
Mar14

Final - 7 innings
21 #9 Johns Hopkins
2 VS Mitchell
@ Auburndale, FL Russmatt Baseball Invitational
Mar15

Final
9 Mitchell
7 VS Brockport
@ Auburndale, FL Russmatt Baseball Invitational
Mar19

Final
10 MIT
6 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar20

Final
2 Mitchell
27 AT #8 Salve Regina
Reynolds Field | Newport, R.I.
Mar22

Final
3 Saint Joseph's (Me.)
4 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar24

Final
2 Norwich
8 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar26

Final
6 Mitchell
1 AT Lasell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar27

Final
3 Clark University
5 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar29

Final
1 New England Col.
4 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader 9 & 7 | Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar29

Final - 7 innings
3 New England Col.
10 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader 9 & 7 | Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar30

Final
8 Albertus Magnus
11 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader | Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Mar30

Final - 7 innings
2 Albertus Magnus
22 VS Mitchell
Doubleheader | Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr03

Postponed
Mitchell
AT Mass. Maritime
Commodore Hendy Field | Bourne, Mass.
Apr05

Final
3 Mitchell
6 AT #22/#23 Eastern Conn. St.
Eastern Baseball Stadium | Mansfield, Conn.
Apr07

Final
8 Mitchell
5 AT Anna Maria
Alumni Field | New London, Conn. (Mitchell College)
Apr10

Final
2 Mitchell
9 AT John Jay
Houlihan Park (Fordham University) | Bronx, N.Y.
Apr11

Final
6 Hartford
15 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr13

Final
12 Mitchell
4 AT Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Doubleheader | USJ Baseball Field | West Hartford, Conn.
Apr13

Final - 7 innings
16 Mitchell
2 AT Saint Joseph (Conn.)
Doubleheader | USJ Baseball Field - West Hartford, Conn.
Apr17

Final
7 Keene St.
8 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr18

Final - 8 innings
8 Mitchell
7 AT Coast Guard
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr21

Final
5 Dean
21 VS Mitchell
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr22

Final
7 Mitchell
5 AT Johnson & Wales (RI)
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr23

Final - 7 innings
13 Mitchell
1 AT Rivier
Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr25

Final
4 Mitchell
11 AT Colby-Sawyer
Kelsey Baseball Field | New London, N.H.
Apr27

Final
2 Elms
6 VS Mitchell
Senior Day | Doubleheader | Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr27

Final
8 Elms
15 VS Mitchell
Senior Day | Doubleheader | Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
Apr28

Final - 8 innings
4 Mitchell
14 AT Johnson & Wales (RI)
Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex | Providence, R.I.
May03

Final
6 #8 Saint Joseph's (Me.)
15 VS #1 Mitchell
GNAC Tournament | Alumni Field | Mitchell College | New London, Conn.
May04

Final
10 #4 Colby-Sawyer
19 VS #1 Mitchell
GNAC Tournament | Alumni Field | New London, Conn.
May05

Final
9 #4 Colby-Sawyer
3 VS #1 Mitchell
GNAC Tournament | Alumni Field | Mitchell College | New London, Conn.
May05

Final
1 #4 Colby-Sawyer
7 VS #1 Mitchell
GNAC Tournament | Alumni Field | Mitchell College | New London, Conn.
May09

Final
1 #2 Johnson & Wales (RI)
3 VS #1 Mitchell
GNAC Tournament | Alumni Field | Mitchell College | New London, Conn.
May10

Final
5 #1 Mitchell
4 AT #2 Johnson & Wales (RI)
GNAC Tournament | Alumni Field | Mitchell College | New London, Conn.
May17

Final
4 Mitchell
3 AT Babson
Babson Park Regional | Game 2
May18

Final
1 Salisbury
5 VS Mitchell
NCAA Babson Park Regional - Game 4
May19

Final
15 Salisbury
0 VS Mitchell
@ Babson Park, MA NCAA Regional Final
May19

Final
0 Mitchell
11 VS Salisbury
@ Babson Park, MA NCAA Regional Final
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