Mitchell College Sports Roundup

Mitchell College earned a pair of wins against Southern Vermont College on Saturday while the softball team also won a doubleheader against Becker College to clinch a spot in the NECC tournament. The men's tennis team also won its fourth straight NECC title against Regis College. The following information was provided by David Longolucco, sports information director at Mitchell College:

Baseball: Mitchell 7, Southern Vermont 6; Mitchell 6, Southern Vermont 5

Mitchell (9-18 overall, 8-9 NECC) scored the winning run in the first game on a wild pitch and got a sacrifice fly from senior Tommy Derosier (Brooklyn, Conn./Killingly) to end the second game. Junior Tyler Shultis (West Hurley, N.Y./Onteora) picked up both wins in relief for the Mariners to even his record at 2-2 on the season.

Mitchell and Southern Vermont (9-30 overall, 5-12 NECC) will wrap up their three-game series with a single nine-inning game on Sunday, April 29 at noon. The contest will be the regular season finale for each squad.

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Game 1 – Mitchell 7, Southern Vermont 6

Southern Vermont’s Jarod Hayen (Esperance, N.Y./Duanesburg) led off the game with a triple, but Mitchell starter Justin Lemanski (New Britain, Conn./E.C. Goodwin Tech) pitched around the mistake and kept the Mountaineers off the scoreboard. The Mariners then put up three runs in the home half of the frame, plating runs on a ground out by freshman Mike Sturges (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) and a single by senior Ethan Graynor (Leonia, N.J./Leonia).

The two sides traded single runs in the second inning, with the Mountaineers scoring their first run of the day on a double by Chris Nicastro (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) that scored Sal Sciara (Massapequa, N.Y./St. John the Baptist). Mitchell answered with an RBI single from freshman Rafael Garcia (New Britain, Conn./New Britain) to increase the lead to 4-1.

Southern Vermont scored two more runs in the third, the first coming on an error and the second on a ground out by Cody LaBadia (Howes Caves, N.Y./Schoharie). The Mountaineers then tied the game in the fourth behind a double steal that saw Max Ginter (Hamden, Conn./Hamden) score from third base.

Mitchell manufactured a run in the fourth to go back in front. Derosier used his speed to leg out an infield single before stealing both second and third base to move into scoring position. Freshman Gavin LaLima (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) followed with a base hit through the left side to put the Mariners back on top 5-4.

Southern Vermont tied the game again in the fifth when Pat Warrington (Folcroft, Pa./Monsignor Bonner) led off with a home run to right-center field, his third of the season. The Mountaineers then took their first lead in the sixth when Hayen led off with a double and later scored on a Mitchell error.

Trailing 6-5 heading into their final at bat, the Mariners got off to a good start when Garica drew a walk to lead off the seventh. Freshman Evan Peck (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) tried to move him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but a fielding error left both runners on with nobody out. Junior Will Charkowsky (Cold Spring, N.Y./Haldane) then tied the game with a single through the left side, with Peck moving from first to third on the play. Peck then scored the winning run on a wild pitch to give the Mariners their first walk-off win of the day.

SVC pitcher Dave Northup (Richmond, R.I./Chariho Regional) made his first start of the season and threw 6.0 innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits while walking four and striking out five. He dropped to 1-4 overall.

Shultis worked 1.0 inning of relief and gave up one hit while striking out one. Lemanski lasted 5.2 innings and gave up six runs (four earned) on nine hits and struck out three in the no decision.

Game 2 – Mitchell 6, Southern Vermont 5 (10 innings)

Mitchell got off to another good start in the finale. Derosier led off the third inning with a double to fuel a three-run rally, and LaLima followed with a single to center to score the run. LaLima later scored on a single to right by Garcia, and the Mariners notched their final run of the frame on a wild pitch.

Southern Vermont scratched across a run in the fourth when an infield single by Sciara scored Warrington from third base. Mitchell answered with a run in the fifth, as Peck tripled to left-center field and scored on a single by Charkowsky.

The Mountaineers trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the sixth. Both runs scored as the result of a Mitchell fielding error, though Sturges escaped further damage by getting a ground out to end the inning.

Southern Vermont came back with two runs in the seventh to take the lead in dramatic fashion. With two outs and down 0-2 in the count, Dillon Desiderato (Burlington, Conn./Northwest Catholic) delivered a two-run single to put the Mountaineers ahead for the first time in the game at 5-4.

For the second time on the day, Mitchell rallied to tie the game in the seventh. LaLima and Garcia each reached base to start off the inning, though the former was thrown out trying to steal third. Garcia moved up to second on the play and then advanced to third on a ground out. A two-out single to right field by Charkowsky plated the tying run and brought new life for the Mariners.

Neither side recorded a hit in the eighth inning, but the Mountaineers threatened in the ninth when Nicastro led off with a single and ended up on second following a failed pickoff attempt. The Mariners then turned the ball over to Shultis, who responded by retiring the next three batters and leaving the potential go-ahead run stranded at third.

Mitchell squandered its own chance in the ninth and left a runner on third base, but the Mariners finally broke through in the 10^th. Lemanski reached base on an infield single and stole second to move into scoring position. He then moved to third on a fielding error and scored the winning run on the sacrifice fly to right by Derosier.

Shultis pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief to earn his second win of the day. Sophomore Travis Gembecki (Putnam, Valley, N.Y./Putnam Valley) also tossed 1.0 inning of solid relief while Sturges went 7.0 innings in a starting role. He gave up five runs (three earned) on nine hits and struck out one while walking three.

Dustyn Marfyak (Torrington, Conn./Torrington) took the loss for the Mountaineers, falling to 0-4 on the season. He pitched 3.2 innings and gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits while striking out one and walking three. Starting pitcher Greg Gilmore (Dover, N.H./Dover) lasted 5.0 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits and struck out two.

Softball: Mitcehll 4, Becker 2; Mitchell 10, Becker 1

Lindsey Romagnino (Totowa, N.J.) had a combined three hits with five RBI and Marissa Thomas (New London, Conn.) allowed only one earned run while striking out six as the visiting Mariners of Mitchell swept the Hawks of Becker, 4-2 and 10-1, on Saturday at Russell Field in NECC softball action. Mitchell, winners of twelve straight games with a 19-13 record and a 16-2 mark in the conference standings, clinches the second seed in the NECC Softball Championship Tournament. Becker, at 10-28 with a 7-11 conference mark, claimed the seventh seed on a tie-breaker, and will travel to Mitchell on Tuesday, May 1st for their opening-round playoff game.

In the first game of the day, Mitchell wasted no time getting on the board in the top of the first, as Romagnino's RBI ground-out scored Tiffany Person (Waterbury, Conn.), who had earlier walked and proceeded to steal second and third. Becker answered in the bottom half of the frame as Larissa Paula (Lynn, Mass.) slapped an RBI single through the right side, scoring Kaitlyn Kenney (Woodstock, Conn.). The Mariners would add runs in the second, third and fifth innings, with RBI base-hits by Tricia Tomaselli (Guilford, Conn.) and Nikki Hoxie (Winsted, Conn.) and a score by Person off a passed ball.

The Hawks got one back in the bottom of the fifth when Talan Barron (Methuen, Mass.) drove an RBI single up the middle, scoring Megan Bolduc (Dover, N.H.) and cutting the lead to 4-2. But that would be as close as the hosts would come, as Thomas (9-7) shut Becker down in the sixth and seventh innings. Megan Cordon (Watertown, Conn.) (6-15) struck out six Mariners while scattering eight hits. Bolduc finished 2-for-4 with a run.

The the nightcap, Tomaselli (9-6) gave Mitchell another strong pitching performance, tallying five strikeouts and giving up only one run in six innings of work. The Mariners scored two runs in the top of the first, with one coming off a passed ball and the second the result of a wild pitch. The score remained 2-0 going into the top of the third when Brittany Zaccaria (White Plains, N.Y.) hit an RBI ground-out to score Chelsea Arpin (Killingly, Conn.). On the very next at-bat, Romagnino singled to the left side to drive Person home, as Mitchell took a 4-0 lead. They Mariners added another two runs in the fourth as Dylan Riccardi (Elmont, N.Y.) had an RBI sacrifice-bunt to score Hoxie from third and Meghan Burke (Bronx, N.Y.) reached home on a wild pitch.

The Hawks finally broke into the scoring column in the bottom of the fourth when Shawna Drown (Watertown, Tenn.) singled to shortstop to score Barron. Mitchell extended their lead to 7-1 in the top of the fifth when Burke's sacrifice ground-out brought home Stacey Suplicki (New London, Conn.). Finally in the top of the sixth, Romagnino came to the plate with the bases loaded and blasted a double to deep left-field, driving in three runs and giving her team a 10-1 lead, the final score. Person scored three times during the game while hitting 2-for-4, and Tomaselli and Arpin each had two hits and a run for the Mariners. Drown went 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Hawks.

The two teams will play each other in the opening round of the NECC playoffs at Mitchell on Tuesday at 4:00pm.

Men's Tennis: Mitchell 7, Regis 2

The top-seeded Mitchell College men’s tennis team claimed its fourth consecutive NECC title on Saturday behind a 7-2 victory over second-seeded Regis College in the finals of the 2012 New England Collegiate Conference Men’s Tennis Championship.

Mitchell (11-1 overall) clinched the match early, winning all three doubles points to take a commanding 3-0 lead into the singles portion of the competition. The Mariners then earned the first two points of singles play to cement the victory.

Mitchell junior Rocco Devona (Waterford, Conn./Waterford) was named Tournament MVP after contributing wins at No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles. He finished the tournament with a combined 4-0 record in both singles and doubles play.

Regis (13-7 overall) found itself in an early hole as the Mariners posted wins at No. 2 and 3 doubles to start the match. The duo of freshman Michael Beluch (Lynn, Mass./St. John’s Prep) and sophomore Andy White (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman) fought hard at the No. 1 spot and led 6-3 against Devona and freshman Rajan Bawa (Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge). The Mariners didn’t give in, however, and rallied to win six straight games to pull out an 8-6 victory.

In singles play, Devona didn’t lose a game in his first set against White at the No. 2 position. His 6-0, 6-2 victory provided the Mariners with their fourth point of the contest, and senior Tyler Engleberg (Niantic, Conn./Niantic) brought the title home with a three-set win at the No. 3 spot. After losing the first set to sophomore Jeffrie Parrish (Framingham, Mass./Framingham), Engleberg rebounded and lost only two more games en route to a 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory.

With the match already decided, the Pride still fought hard and came away with two points. Beluch and Bawa—in a battle of the conference’s best players—provided the closest match of the day at the No. 1 position. The two split regular season meetings, and Beluch edged Bawa in straight sets to win the rubber match 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-3). Regis was also victorious at No. 6 as junior Mouhamed Diallo (Boston, Mass./Cours Sainte Marie De Hann) topped junior Randy Coons (Yonkers, N.Y./Brewster) by scores of 6-0, 4-6, 6-1.

Seniors Andrew Small (Westerly, R.I./Westerly) and Alexander Fusco (Saugus, Mass./Saugus) provided Mitchell’s final two singles wins. Small bounced back from a first set loss to junior Sophorn Nop (Lowell, Mass./Lowell Catholic) at the No. 4 spot to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-1. Fusco cruised to a 6-0, 6-2 win at the No. 5 position over junior Matthew Smolko (Pelham, N.H./Lowell Catholic).

This season was the first that the NECC crowned its champion through a team tournament format. For the past three seasons, the squad with the best regular season conference record was deemed champion. Mitchell won the title outright in 2009 and 2010 and was co-champion with Lesley University in 2011.