Coast Guard Gets the Better of Baseball in Matchup of Crosstown Rivals
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
|
Coast Guard | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | X | 10 | 10 | 4 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team made the short journey across New London on Thursday afternoon, falling to the Coast Guard Academy, 10-7, in non-conference action at Nitchman Field.
Having concluded all of their out of conference games on the regular season schedule, the Mariners have just two Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) games remaining, a doubleheader at Elms College on Sunday, April 27.
After senior Michael Gajda (New Britain, Conn.) belted a two-run homer in the top of the first, the Bears responded with five runs in the bottom of the frame, highlighted by a grand slam off the bat of Connor Cilento. Coast Guard tacked on another run in the second to build a 6-2 advantage that held until the fifth when the Mariners plated three runs on a pair of errors by the Bears.
That was as close as the Mariners got, however, as they were unable to close the gap and dropped their second game of the spring to their crosstown rival.
Sophomore Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) had a team-high two hits for Mitchell, driving in one and scoring once. Gajda went 1-3 with a two-run double and scored twice, while sophomore Chase Donahue (Shirley, Mass.) hit an RBI single in the ninth.
Junior Jacob Quiles (Wallkill, N.Y.) was charged with the loss after surrendering six runs in one inning of work.
Jack Gausselin earned his second win of the season for the Bears, surrendering just two runs in two innings of a bullpen game.
The Mariners (20-16, 11-3 GNAC) will close their season with a pair of conference road games against Elms College on Sunday, April 27. The Bears (19-12, 7-4 NEWMAC) travel for a conference doubleheader at Babson College on Saturday, April 26.
