FORT MYERS, Fla. – In the first New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) game of the season for both squads, the Mitchell College baseball team defeated Southern Vermont College 10-4 Friday afternoon at Terry Park.
A two-run blast by Mariner sophomore right fielder Neftali Arroyo (New Haven, Conn.) capped a three-run fifth that put Mitchell on top for the first time all day before the MC pitching held SVC to just one run the rest of the way.
The Mariners now sit at 4-3-1 on the season, 1-0 in the NECC, while SVC drops to 2-2 on the year and begins league play 0-1 after its first of 10 games in Florida.
Junior first baseman Cody LaBadia (Howes Cave, N.Y.) led the Mountaineers at the plate with a 3-4 showing while knocking in two runs. Sophomore second baseman RJ Pingitore (Amsterdam, N.Y.) tallied the other two SVC runs batted in, and junior center fielder Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y.) registered just one official at bat after being plunked three times and working a walk; he also swiped two bases and scored two runs in the effort.
Arroyo finished 2-2 on the day with two runs and four RBIs, adding a sacrifice fly and hit by pitch to his box. Senior designated hitter Kenneth Olszewski (Canterbury, Conn.) was 4-4 at the plate with a walk, scoring two runs for the Mariners. Junior first baseman Evan Peck (Shelton, Conn.) contributed with a 2-5 performance at the dish, scoring twice and knocking in a third run.
The Mariners were perfect in the field behind senior righty Mike Tandy (Montrose, N.Y.) who gave up four earned runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings of work to pick up his first win of the season (1-0). Freshman right-hander Axel De Jesus (Stratford, Conn.) grabbed his first collegiate save after entering the game in the top of the seventh with Mitchell up 6-4 and the go-ahead run at the plate. He allowed just a walk while striking out two in his 2.2 innings on the mound. Southern Vt. sophomore right-hander Chris Bradt (Albany, N.Y.) took the loss in his first start as a Mountaineer (0-1) after allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and three walks in five innings on the bump.
Scoring came quickly from both sides as each team tacked up at least a run in its first trip to the plate. A frozen rope off the bat of SVC sophomore Richard Rios (Pico Rivera, Calif.) to center field moved Sciara from first to third, setting up a Pingitore sacrifice fly to put the Mountaineers up 1-0. LaBadia then slapped one to left over the Mitchell third baseman to plate Rios for the 2-0 lead.
Mitchell cut the deficit in half soon-after in the bottom of the frame with help from SVC miscues. Senior shortstop Marc Dorsi (West Haven, Conn.) reached on an error and then moved to third on a double to right by Olszewski. As Southern Vt. got the ball in, the infield couldn't corral it and Dorsi was able to head for home to make it a 2-1 game.
MC threatened to have another big inning in the second after a walk and error put runners on first and second. Bradt helped himself when he stepped off the rubber and shot the ball to junior shortstop Chris Nicastro Jr. (Kenilworth, N.J.) who slapped the tag for the first out. A wild pitch and walk from Bradt then situated Mitchell with runners at first and third, and a walk a few batters later loaded the pond with two outs. Dorsi came to the plate and skied one deep to left in foul territory, but Rios covered a bunch of ground and leapt to make the diving play right before the fence to end the inning.
Sciara used one of his hit by pitches and a steal to get himself into scoring position in the top of the third, and LaBadia then roped one center to allow his captain to round third and score, putting the Mountaineers ahead 3-1. Once again, the Mariners were quick to respond as they tacked on one of their own in the bottom of the inning with help from a lead-off single by Olszewski. He made his way to third with an SVC throwing error to first and then scored on a sac fly to right by Arroyo.
Both starting hurlers enjoyed the fourth as each team was retired in order, five of the six outs being grounders to the infield.
After Mitchell got SVC to strand runners on second and third to end the top of the fifth, the Mariners were able to put up three in the bottom of the inning to take their first lead. Olszewski made his way to second with a one-out double down the right field line and then advanced to third on a balk. Peck hit it hard down the third base line, but the home plate umpire deemed it to be just foul. A few pitches later, however, Peck ripped another one in the same direction with the ball hitting the base to clearly be fair and allow Olszewski to score the tying run. Arroyo then came to the plate and launched one to left, over the thirty-foot fence that sits 345 feet away from home plate for the 5-3 go-ahead homer.
The Mariners added another run in the following inning with some small ball that saw freshman left fielder Tristan Hurley (Mystic, Conn.) get moved to second with a sac bunt and then score on a sacrifice fly by Dorsi.
Trying to work their way back in the top of the seventh, the Mountaineers put runners on second and third for Pingitore. He sent one back Tandy's way and past the senior righty, scoring SVC sophomore third baseman Quinten Scott (Ashaway, R.I.) and ending Tandy's day. De Jesus came in to retire the next two Southern Vt. batters and send the game to the bottom of the seventh with MC up 6-4.
At that point, the Mariners added three runs of insurance for De Jesus to have enough breathing room to retire six of the seven SVC batters he faced the rest of the way to preserve the win. Arroyo ripped a double down the left field line in the bottom of the eighth to tally the 10th MC run as Mitchell grabbed its first league win of the year.
The season series wraps up Saturday in Ft. Myers with a doubleheader beginning at 10 a.m.