Basbeall Nipped by Beacons on Thursday Afternoon
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mass.-Boston | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 2 |
|
Mitchell | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 2 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team fell behind in the top of the second and were unable to recover on Thursday afternoon, falling by a final of 5-3 in a non-conference game against UMass Boston at Alumni Field.
Senior Michael Gajda (New Britain, Conn.) and freshman Ryan Dennis (Enfield, Conn.) each had two hits, one RBI, and one run scored for the Mariners, with both of Gajda's hits being doubles. Sophomore Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, Conn.) continued his hot hitting, going 2-4 with a run scored in the loss, while sophomore Chase Donahue (Shirley, Mass.) added a run scoring single.
Facing Mitchell sophomore Joshua Scamman (Rochester, N.H.), the Beacons threatened in the top of the first, working the bases loaded with one out. Scamman escaped the jam, however, using a strikeout and fly out to right field to escape the jam. UMass then broke the ice the following inning, scoring the first run of the game on a passed ball, before Bostyn Burris laced an RBI double to right-center, scoring Mariano Jimenez, who had reached on a walk one batter prior.
The Mariners were able to cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the second after senior Michael Gajda (New Britain, Conn.) led off with a double down the right field line, and came around to score on an RBI single through the right side off the bat of sophomore Chase Donahue (Shirley, Mass.).
Both teams managed to plate one run in the fifth, making it a 3-2 ballgame. For the Beacons, Mariano Jimenez reached base on a Mitchell error, and came around to score on a sacrifice fly. The Mariners answered when junior Nick Bracale (East Haven, Conn.) laced an RBI single to centerfield to score freshman Ryan Dennis (Enfield, Conn.), who had singled earlier in the inning and advanced over to second base on a wild pitch. The Beacons then padded their lead in the top of the seventh when Jimenez moved from second to third on a passed ball, then scampered home when the Mitchell catcher sailed a throw over the third baseman's head.
After the Beacons added one more run in the top of the eighth, the Mariners threatened in the bottom of the frame when Ficocelli led off with an infield single, Kenneth Miller Jr. (New London, Conn.) walk, and Gajda brought home Ficocelli with an RBI double to left center. Facing a second and third situation with no outs, UMass brought in lefty Thomas Kierce out of the bullpen, and the graduate student retired the next three batters, two on strikeouts and the third on a groundout.
Joshaua Scamman took the loss in his second appearance of the season, surrendering three runs (two earned) across four and one third innings of work, walking two and striking out five.
Max Moss picked up his first win of the season with five innings of two-run ball, while Kierce earned his second save of the spring, twirling a pair of perfect innings to shut the door, striking out four.
Bostyn Burris powered the UMass offense with a team-high three hits and one RBI. Lead-off man Mariano Jimenez had a 1-3 day at the dish, but scored three times and walked twice.
The Mariners (2-5, 0-0 GNAC) will have an off day on Friday as they travel down to Florida for their spring break trip, resuming play on Saturday at 1:00 pm against Immaculata University in the Russmatt Baseball Invitational. Off to a 6-0 start to the season, the Beacons (6-0, 0-0 LEC) return to action on Thursday, March 13, with a game against Wheaton College down in Orlando, Florida.
