Baseball Outslugged by North Park
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 3 |
|
North Park | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 2 |
AUBURNDALE, Fla. – After taking an early lead on Tuesday morning, the Mitchell College baseball team fell behind and were unable to make up the needed ground, falling to North Park University, 17-7, in a non-conference game at the Russmatt Invitational, played at Lake Myrtle Park.
Sophomore Chase Donahue (Shirley, Mass.) went 2-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and a run scored for Mitchell, while junior Savier Paige (Wethersfield, Conn.) had three hits, including a triple, and scored a pair of runs. Sophomore Chas Terni Jr. (Montville, Conn.) added his second home run of the season, as the Mariners collected double-digit hits for the second consecutive game.
The Vikings took an early one run lead on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first, but the Mariners got two back in the top of the second on an error and RBI double to left-center by Donahue. This was Mitchell's only lead of the game, however, as North Park answered by plating six runs in the bottom of the frame. A four-run fourth inning saw the Mariners claw their way back to within one run, as Terni Jr. homered to left, Savier Paige scored on a wild pitch, junior Nicholas Bracale (East Haven, Conn.) hit an RBI double, and sophomore Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) laced a run scoring single to right field.
The Vikings were blanked in the fourth inning but scored runs in all four of their proceeding trips to the plate, including a three-run eighth that was capped by Rylan Kawakami's walkoff, two-run triple down the right field line.
Sophomore catcher Reyn Matsuzaki led the Vikings with a 4-for-5 day at the plate, ripping a pair of doubles and scoring twice. Zach Price earned his first win of the spring after tossing four innings of one-run ball out of the bullpen, entering the game in the fourth inning in relief of starter, Brett Ravitz.
Freshman Braiden Alaimo (Enfield, Conn.) dropped to 0-2 to begin the season, surrendering seven runs across one and a third innings of work. Senior Nicholas Strojny (Woonsocket, R.I.) was strong in his season debut for the Mariners, tossing three innings of one-run (zero earned) ball, scattering one hit and three walks, while striking out two Vikings.
The Mariners (2-9, 0-0 GNAC) will continue their spring break trip with a game against Husson University on Wednesday, March 12, at 2:45pm in Winter Haven, Florida. The Vikings (2-9, 0-0 CCIW) conclude their Florida trip on Wednesday, March 12, against Western New England University.
