Slow start dooms Mitchell in NCAA baseball tournament opener
May 21—A nightmarish start put the Mitchell College baseball in a deep hole on Friday.
The Mariners never recovered.
A 7-1 loss to top-seeded Rowan (N.J.) in the NCAA Division III tournament Annville (Pa.) regional opener sent the Mariners into the losers' bracket where they'll play either host Lebanon Valley Collegem a 5-1 loser to Washington & Jefferson, at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at McGill Field.
"We got off to a rough start," coach Travis Beausoleil said. "You're not going to win many regional games giving up five runs better yet being in the first inning. It's unfortunate. They settled down and played better afterwards."
Two errors and three walks contributed to Rowan's five-run first inning. That's all the support that ace Eli Atiya (8-0) needed, as the lefthander went eight strong innings and scattered six hits to earn the victory.
"He was really good," Beausoleil said of Atiya. "He's smart and he executes. When he elevates, he elevates just out of the zone. He's got a very good arm. Trailing by five in the first, you can't create anything. ... If we get out of the first inning, giving up one or two, it's a different game."
Owen Robbins of East Lyme belted a solo home run in the fifth inning to account for Mitchell's only run. It was the first home by a Mariner in NCAA postseason play.
"That ball was absolutely bashed," Beausoleil said.
Angel Galindez had two of his team's seven hits while Hunter Yaworski (Killingly), Matt Falk, Lelo Martinez (New London), Robbie DelaCruz (Montville) and Robbins each had one.
Starter Cam Varney (5-3), who lasted just .2 innings, took the loss.
Montville graduate Kenny Heon was one of the few bright spots for the Mariners (30-12). He replaced Varney with two outs in the first and finished the game, allowing two runs and nine hits in a career-high 7.1 innings, striking out eight and walking one.
Heon saved Beausoleil from going deeper in the bullpen.
"It was a really good effort by Kenny," Beausoleil said.
The Mariners are in a familiar position.
They needed to battle out of the losers' bracket in the New England Collegiate Conference tournament and rallied to capture the title and earn an NCAA bid.
Their task will be more daunting against the quality of competition in the NCAA regional.
"Hopefully, they'll be ready to go," Beausoleil said. "They need some energy and motivation. Hopefully, tomorrow they'll understand that if they don't win, they're going home. Like we did two weeks ago, let it be the other team, not us."
