Eight Run Eighth Inning Sends Baseball Past MSOE
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSOE | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 |
|
Mitchell | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | X | 11 | 10 | 1 |
DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Mitchell College baseball scored eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Friday afternoon, powering past the Milwaukee School of Engineering, 10-3, while picking up their first win at the Russmatt Invitational in non-conference action at Northeast Regional Park.
Freshman Ryan Dennis (Enfield, Conn.) and sophomores Chase Donahue (Shirley, Mass.) and Luis Collazo (Windsor, Conn.) had two hits apiece for the Mariners. One of Collazo's two hits was an RBI double, while junior Kenneth Miller Jr. (New London, Conn.) and senior Michael Gajda (New Britain, Conn.) each ripped two-run doubles during the explosive eighth inning.
The Raiders jumped out to an early lead, scoring the first run of the game on a balk by starting pitcher Eddie Kaftan (Old Lyme, Conn.) in the top of the first inning. Mitchell was quick to answer, however, knotting the score when Ryan Dennis led off the bottom half of the frame with a single, and eventually came around to score on a passed ball.
After a scoreless second, MSOE jumped ahead, 3-1, on a two-run double off the bat of AJ Le. The Mariners punched back an inning later, plating a pair of runs to tie the ballgame in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI triple by junior Nicholas Bracale (East Haven, Conn.) and a run scoring single by Collazo.
The game remained deadlocked until the bottom of the eighth when freshman Josh Jones (Derry, N.H.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Dennis followed with a single to right field to create a first and third situation with nobody out. Following a MSOE pitching change, Chase Donahue drew a walk to load the bases, and sophomore Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) followed that up with a walk of his own, sending the go-ahead run past home plate.
Following another pitching change by the Raiders, Kenneth Miller Jr. laced a two-run double to center, and Michael Gajda then plated two more runs with a ground-rule double. From there, the Mariners tacked on three more runs in the inning, as Gajda came around to score on a wild pitch, Collazo knocked home Chas Terni Jr. (Montville, Conn.) with a double to left center, and Chase Donahue hit an RBI single to the shortstop.
Making his fourth start of the season, Eddie Kaftan twirled seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing three runs (two earned) and a pair of walks, while striking out 11. Sophomore Ethan Chavez (New London, Conn.) came out of the bullpen to relieve Kaftan to begin the eighth and picked up the first win of his Mitchell career, tossing two shutout innings.
AJ Hamilton was charged with the loss for MSOE after giving up five runs (four earned) in seven innings or work. AJ Le finished 2-3 with a walk and two RBI for the Raiders in the loss.
The Mariners (3-11, 0-0 GNAC) will look to close out their spring break trip on a high note when they face #17 Rowan University on Saturday, March 15, with first pitch scheduled for 11:00 am. The Raiders (3-4, 0-0 NACC) return to the diamond on Saturday, March 15, with a game against Webster University.
