NEW LONDON, Conn. – No. 3 Saint Joseph's College (34-13) saw its season come to a close with an 18-5 loss to top-seeded Mitchell College (29-12) in game two of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship Series on Friday morning at Alumni Field.
The Monks struck first and battled back to tie the game in the third inning, but Mitchell used a grand slam in the fourth to take control and went on to claim the conference championship.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Saint Joseph's grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning when senior Michael Richards (Melrose, Mass.) was hit by a pitch, junior Jared Wilhelm (Tolland, Conn.) reached on an error, and both runners eventually scored, with senior Jack Moltenbrey (East Longmeadow, Mass.) driving in Wilhelm with a single to left-center.
Mitchell answered with four runs in the third, but the Monks responded in the bottom half. Sophomore Nick Brindle (Pittsfield, Mass.) reached on an error and scored when sophomore Nic Frink (Scarborough, Maine) doubled to right-center. Richards followed with an RBI single to left, plating Frink and tying the game at 4-4.
The Mariners took control in the fourth. After Mitchell loaded the bases with two outs, Chas Terni Jr. delivered the decisive swing with a grand slam to left-center, giving the Mariners a 9-4 lead.
Mitchell added four more runs in the fifth and continued to build the lead from there. Saint Joseph's scored its final run in the eighth when Frink singled, advanced on a Richards groundout, moved to third on a Wilhelm base hit, and came home on a wild pitch.
The loss closes a 34-win season for the Monks, who advanced through the elimination bracket to reach the GNAC Championship Series.
ON THE MOUND:
Saint Joseph's:
Tyler Nelson (Fr., Medford, Mass.) (L, 4-1) – 3.2 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Ryan Thurber (Sr., South Portland, Maine) – 0.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Dylan Brander (Sr., Merrimack, N.H.) – 0.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Joey Tavares (Fr., Methuen, Mass.) – 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Nate Leavitt (So., Alton, N.H.) – 0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Thomas O'Koniewski (Sr., Lawrence, Mass.) – 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Devin Kelly (Fr., Falmouth, Maine) – 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Mitchell:
Andrew Manzo – 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Dom Yarson (W, 7-2) – 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Jacob Quiles – 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
IN THE BOX:
Saint Joseph's
Nic Frink – 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B
Nick Brindle – 2-for-3, R, 2B
Michael Richards – 1-for-3, R, RBI
Mitchell:
Chas Terni Jr. – 3-for-4, 6 RBI, HR, 2B
Ryan Dennis – 3-for-5, 4 R, 2 RBI
Michael Ficocelli – 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
Christopher Piscione – 2-for-5, 2 RBI, 2B
Johnny Brucato – 2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B
