ROCHDALE, Mass. – Becker College was swept by Mitchell College in New England Collegiate Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon with scores of 8-5 and 12-2. The sweeps lifts the Mariners record to28-3 (16-1 NECC), while the Hawks sink to 14-19 (8-9 NECC).
In game one, the Mariners took advantage of some sloppy defense by Becker to score four runs in the top of the first inning. Mitchell loaded the bases on an error, a single by Kyle Hartenstein (Meriden, Conn.), and a Kenneth Olszewski (Canterbury, Conn.) walk. Evan Peck (Shelton, Conn.) plated two runs with a single through the left side. After an error loaded the bases, senior pitcher Keon Jenkins (Nashua, N.H.) induced a one, two, three double play. With two outs and runners on second and third, Jenkins uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Peck to scamper home from third. Neftali Arroyo (New Haven, Conn.) capped off the inning with an RBI single to give the Mariners a 4-0 lead.
Becker cut the Mariners lead in half in the bottom of the fourth inning. After Trevor Read (Colorado Springs, Colo.) was hit by a pitch, Matthew Consigli (Whitinsville, Mass.) singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. Consigli then attempted a theft of second base, but the throw sailed into centerfield. Read would score easily, while Gavin LaLima's (Waterford, Conn.) attempted to get Consigli advancing to third rolled out of play, granting him home.
The score remained the same until the top of the sixth when the Mariners put four more runs on the board with just three hits. After two quick outs, Peter McTernan (Union, N.J.) got things started with a single up the middle. Gavin LaLima and Kyle Hartenstein then earned back-to-back walks, chasing Keon Jenkins from the game. Kenneth Olszewski drove into two runs with a single past third base, increasing the Mariners lead to 6-2. Rafael Garcia (New Britain, Conn.) belted a two run double to centerfield to give Mitch an 8-2 advantage.
The Hawks made things interesting in the bottom of the sixth when they scored three runs. Francis Baldino (East Brookfield, Mass.) led off the inning with a double to center. Matthew Consigli plated Baldino with double into deep left centerfield. Niko Bedell (Manorville, N.Y.) then blasted a towering homerun over the left field fence.
Troy Stango (Holland, Mich.) pitched a perfect seventh to secure the 8-5 win for the Mariners. Mitchell starter Al Jordan Johnson (Groton, Conn.) improved his record to 8-0 on the year after allowing two earn runs on five hits, while striking out seven Hawks.
Keon Jenkins suffered the loss after allowing just three earned runs on five hits.
The nightcap belonged to Mariners from the start as they score 12 runs on 12 hits.
Mitchell got all the offense they need in the top of the first when they scored three runs, all with two outs. Kenneth Olszewski got things started with double down the left field line. After Evan Peck reached on an infield single, Rafael Garcia followed with an RBI single through right side of the infield. Ryan Goodwin (Tunkhannock, Pa.) capped the inning with a two run double into the left centerfield gap.
The Mariners went on to score a pair of runs in four different innings. Kenneth Olszewski finished the game with two hits and an RBI. Neftali Arroyo also finished with a pair of hits, including a solo homerun over the left field fence.
Nick Lemay (Oxford, Mass.) put the Hawks on the board in with his first collegiate homerun in the bottom of the second.
Tyler Shamas (Westbrook, Conn.) improved his record to 7-0 after allowing one run in five innings of work. Mark Brousseau (Worcester, Mass.) took the loss after allowing four earned runs in an inning and a third.
Becker will travel to Mitchell tomorrow to wrap up the regular season at noon.
