Baseball Falls To Mitchell College In NECC Doubleheader

Box Scores

NEW LONDON, Conn. – Elms College sophomore left-hander Zach LeBarron (Bennington, Vt.) struck out nine batters in a complete-game effort in game one of the Blazers’ doubleheader, but Mitchell College recorded a 4-3 game one victory, and followed that with a 5-2 win in the nightcap to pace the Mariners to a series sweep in Saturday’s New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) baseball action in New London, Conn.

With the two losses, Elms falls to 4-12 overall, 0-3 in NECC play, while Mitchell improves to 8-5 on the season, 3-0 in conference action.

Game One – Mitchell 4, Elms 3

In the first inning of game one, Mitchell loaded the bases before LeBarron struck out the side to keep the Mariners off the board. LeBarron struck out a pair in the second before a pair of run-scoring doubles by Jeff Perillo (Newington, Conn.) and Ethan Graynor (Leonia, N.J.), and a RBI groundout by John McGarry (Waterford, Conn.) gave Mitchell a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.

Elms responded in the top of the fourth with a sacrifice fly off the bat of senior designated hitter Brian Marrero (Kendall Park, N.J.) that scored sophomore third baseman Andrew Kravontka (Manchester, Conn.) who reached on a one-out walk earlier in the frame.

Following a scoreless fifth inning, the Blazers knotted the game at 3-3 when Kravontka led off the sixth with a walk and then moved to second when junior shortstop Brendan Cordeiro (Berkley, Mass.) reached on an outfield miscue. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a passed ball before junior second baseman Hector Roche (Bronx, N.Y.) cleared the bases with a two-run double.  

Mitchell forged ahead in the home half of the sixth when McGarry delivered a one-out single and then came full circle on a double by Andrew Langlais (Ledyard, Conn.) to give the Mariners a 4-3 edge.

Mitchell starter Jeremy Chapman (Waterford, Conn.) retired Elms in order in the seventh to secure the complete-game victory and improve to 2-0. LeBarron took the loss and falls to 1-2 overall.

Chapman limited the Blazers to just two hits, while LeBarron scattered six hits in a well-pitched game.

Game Two – Mitchell 5, Elms 2

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth, sophomore first baseman Reynaldo Rivera (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Roche drew back-to-back one-out walks before Marrero connected for a run-scoring single, and junior right fielder Albert Betances (Springfield, Mass.) delivered a RBI groundout to pull Elms to within one at 3-2.

The Mariners plated a run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Graynor scored on a base hit by Langlais. Mitchell extended its lead an inning later when Graynor reached on an error that scored Perillo from second.

In the top of the seventh, freshman center fielder Stephen Fisher (West Boylston, Mass.) reached on a two-out, two-base error and then moved to third on a wild pitch, but Mitchell starting pitcher Garrett Cornwell (Oxford, Conn.) fired a strikeout to halt Elms’ rally and secure the Mariners’ 5-2 game two victory.

Cornwell tossed all seven innings to improve to 3-0 on the season and surrendered just three hits in the win, while Perillo paced the Mitchell offense in game two with a 3 for 4 day at the plate with two runs scored.

Blazers’ senior starter Mike Bieber (Wading River, N.Y.) hurled the first 4.2 innings and suffered the loss to fall to 0-3. Senior right-handed reliever Dan Ingraham (Granby, Mass.) fanned two batters in 1.1 innings of relief on the hill.

Elms returns to non-conference action on Tuesday, April 6 when it travels to Wesleyan (Conn.). First-pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.