Baseball’s Season Comes to an End in Seventh Game of the Babson Park Regional
Game 2
Game 2
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mitchell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
|
Salisbury | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | X | 11 | 15 | 0 |
BABSON PARK, Mass. – The Mitchell College baseball team saw their season come to an end on Sunday afternoon in the NCAA Tournament, falling to No. 9/11 Salisbury University 10-0 in the seventh and final game of the Babson Park Regional at Govoni Field. The Mariners finish the spring with an overall record of 34-13, matching the most wins in the Division III era of the program.
For the second consecutive season, the Mariners entered the final day of the NCAA Tournament's Regional Round needing just one win to advance to the Super Regional, yet Mitchell magic ran dry, as the Sea Gulls won 15-0 in the first game of the day and blanked the Mariners once again in the winner-take-all seventh game.
Salisbury improves to 32-10 overall, and will face No. 8/10 Salve Regina University in next weekend's Super Regional while looking for their fourth straight College World Series appearance. The Seahawks, who are seeking their overcame an early deficit to defeat Washington & Jefferson College by a 12-3 score in the championship round of the Cortland N.Y. Regional Sunday afternoon.
The Sea Gulls pounded out 15 hits in support of freshman Ethan Hirschfeld, who tossed a complete game four-hitter, walking two and striking out four.
Dylan Winebrenner and Max Ehrhardt had three hits apiece for Salisbury, while Ehrhardt drove in four and Andrew Kell had two RBI. Tim Petrucelli finished 2-4 with three runs scored, and Adam Tommer collected a pair of hits, scored twice, and drove in one.
Sophomore Thai-ler Sestokas (Danbury, Conn.) led the Mariners with two hits. Seniors Cole Lalli (Coventry, Conn.) and Jack Hayes (New Milford, Conn.) were responsible for the other two Mitchell hits off Hirschfeld.
The Mariners threatened in the top of the first, as Robbie DelaCruz walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, then moved to third on a pop up by Cole Lalli. The senior was stranded at third, however, when Michael Ficocelli flew out to right field to end the inning.
Facing junior Jadon Canelli, the Sea Gulls got a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the first when Tim Petrucelli singled and advanced to second on an error, but the lefty induced a fly out from the next batter to move into the second with the game scoreless.
The Sea Gulls drew first blood, scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom of the second inning on RBI singles by Max Ehrhardt and Andrew Kell. Mitchell was well positioned to get on the board in the top of the third after Owen Robbins was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Thai-ler Sestokas followed with a bunt single. After Angel Galindez reached on a fielder's choice, the Mariners were set up with runners on the corners and one down, but both were stranded when Ethan Hirschfled got Robbie DelaCruz to ground into an inning ending double play.
With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Tim Petrucelli worked a walk against Canelli and came around to score when Danny Sheeler doubled to left center. Robbie DelaCruz was hit by a pitch with one away in the sixth and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but the senior was stranded there after Cole Lalli fouled out to the catcher and Michael Ficocelli grounded out to the shortstop.
After back to back singles set Salisbury up with runners on second and third in the sixth inning, freshman Joshua Scamman (Rochester, N.H.) came on in relief of Canelli, and surrendered a two-run single up the middle to Ehrhardt to push the Sea Gull's lead to six. Four more runs came across in the eighth and one more in the ninth to cap the scoring for the day.
The Mariners are now 9-18 overall in Regional Play of the NCAA Tournament.
