Baseball Walks Off Twice to Secure Sweep of Monks
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Saint Joseph's (Me.) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
|
Mitchell | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Saint Joseph's (Me.) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
|
Mitchell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Mitchell College baseball team used two walk-off base hits to sweep Saint Joseph's College (ME), 3–2 and 1–0, in a Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) doubleheader on Sunday at Alumni Field.
Senior Adam Vartanian (Cumberland, R.I.) laced a walk-off RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh inning in the opener to plate junior Jayden Sgro (Glastonbury, Conn.), before Sgro delivered a walk-off bunt single in the bottom of the ninth inning in game two.
The Mariners (9–6, 3–1 GNAC) will pause conference play for a midweek home game against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Thursday, March 26, with first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
Game 1 – Mitchell 3, Saint Joseph's (ME) 2
The Mariners struck first in the second inning when senior Nicholas Bracale (East Haven, Conn.) delivered an RBI single to score junior Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.).
Saint Joseph's answered with a run in the third and took a 2–1 lead in the fifth on a solo home run by Nic Frink.
Mitchell pulled even in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore Ryan Dennis (Ellington, Conn.) drove in a run with a single to center, scoring Vartanian.
The Mariners completed the comeback in the seventh as Vartanian ripped a triple to left field, bringing home Sgro with the game-winning run.
Mitchell finished with seven hits in the contest, with Vartanian leading the way with two, including the decisive triple. Bracale and Dennis each drove in a run.
On the mound, junior Patrick Mitchell (Garristown, Ireland) got the start, allowing two runs on eight hits over 5.0 innings while striking out four. Senior Jacob Quiles (Wallkill, N.Y.) earned the win in relief, tossing 2.0 scoreless innings.
Nick Villano collected a team-high two hits for the Monks, while Dylan Brander took the loss after surrendering three runs (one earned) over 6.2 innings.
Game 2 – Mitchell 1, Saint Joseph's (ME) 0
In a tightly contested pitcher's duel, neither team was able to break through until the final frame. The Mariners delivered in the bottom of the ninth, as Sgro laid down a bunt single to bring home senior Savier Paige (Wethersfield, Conn.) with the game-winning run. Paige had pinch run for junior Christopher Piscione (West Warwick, R.I.), who led off the inning with an infield single.
Mitchell finished with eight hits in the contest, with Piscione leading the way with three. Sgro added two hits, including the game-winning RBI, while senior Kenneth Miller Jr. (New London, Conn.) and Ficocelli each recorded doubles.
On the mound, sophomore Braiden Alaimo (Enfield, Conn.) was dominant in the start, tossing 7.0 scoreless innings while allowing six hits and striking out six. Senior Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J.) earned the win in relief, working 2.0 shutout innings.
Saint Joseph's was limited to seven hits, with Jake Carlisle and Nick Brindle each recording two. Padraig Mac Seain was equally effective for the Monks, tossing 8.0 scoreless innings.
