HENNIKER, N.H. – The top-seeded New England College Baseball team dropped two games to the second-seeded Mitchell College Mariners in New England Collegiate Conference Baseball Championship Sunday afternoon at Laurie Cox Memorial Field.

THE BASICS
Score:  No. 2 Mitchell College 5, No. 1 New England College 3 – Game One

No. 2 Mitchell College 10, No. 1 New England College 3 – Game Two

Records: Pilgrims (24-16, 9-3 NECC) | Mariners (30-11, 7-4 NECC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One – No. 2 Mitchell College 5, No. 1 New England College 3

Mitchell College was the first team to score, as Lelo Martinez hit a three-run home run to left-center field in the top of the first inning. In the top of the second, the Mariners threatened as they loaded the bases with just one out, but Alex Perez would get Mitchell to pop out to Brady Philibotte twice to get out of the inning unscathed.

The Pilgrims got on the board in the bottom of the third inning as they plated a pair of runs in the frame. Michael Ciccotelli singled home Lucas Giallongo with a base knock up the middle. Philibotte crossed the plate later in the inning as he scored on a balk call on the Mitchell pitcher. In the top of the fourth inning, the Mariners pushed their lead to 4-2, as Bo Yaworski doubled home John-John Jose from third.

In the top of the eighth inning, Mitchell would load the bases with no out, as Wyatt Cameron got a fly out and then an inning-ending double play turned by Philibotte. New England College cut the deficit to just one run (4-3) as Connor Morin hit a solo home run to right field. The Pilgrims were able to threaten in the bottom of the ninth, and Mitchell held on to force a decisive seventh game.

Wyatt Cameron pitched 5.0 innings of relief, allowing just three hits and striking out five.

Game Two – No. 2 Mitchell College 10, No. 1 New England College 3

New England College would plate one run in the top of the first, as Giallongo scored on a Philibotte groundout to shortstop. Mitchell tied the game in the bottom of the second inning, as Owen Robbins scored on a groundout. The Mariners took their first lead of the game in the bottom half of the fifth, as Lelo Martinez drove in a pair with a single through the right side of the infield. Robbins capped off the inning with a two-run home run to left field.

The Pilgrims got one run back in the top of the seventh, as Morin scampered home on an error by the Mariners' first baseman. After Mitchell plated one run in the bottom of the seventh, Michael Ciccotelli hit a solo home run. The Mariners pulled away in the bottom of the eighth as they plated four runs in the frame.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Mitchell now leads the all-time series, 9-7.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

• MVP: Daniel Driscoll – Mitchell
• Bo Yaworski – Mitchell
• Ryan Solimine – Mitchell
• Shayne Audet – New England College
• Wyatt Cameron – New England College
• Connor Morin – New England College
• Steve Pesce – Eastern Nazarene College
• Morgan Weast – Eastern Nazarene College
• Ian Dempsey – Lesley University