Harwich, Mass. – Freshman Roland Thivierge (Portland, Conn.) pumped out 7 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to help pace sixth-seeded Mitchell to a 9-3 victory over seventh-seeded Suffolk in an elimination game of the NCAA Division III New England Baseball regional at Whitehouse Field.

The Mariners (31-8) stay alive in the NCAA Tournament and will play on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. They will take on the loser of tonight's matchup between top-seeded UMass Boston and fifth-seeded Ramapo.

Suffolk, making their seventh tournament appearance and third straight, end their campaign at 25-19.

Mitchell erased an early three-run deficit by doubling up Suffolk 6-3 in the bottom of the second to take the lead for good. Senior Mark Fusco (Medford, Mass.) battled control issues on the hill as he plunked a man and walked four consecutive batters as junior Peter Abate (Wallingford, Conn.) and junior Markus Melendez (Storrs, Conn.) were credited with RBIs. After a ground-out scored another run, Abate and Melendez came around to score on a low fielder's choice throw by the first baseman, senior Garet Griffin (Moosup, Conn.) capped off the frame with a sacrifice fly.  

The Mariners tacked on another run in the sixth on a bloop single to centerfield by junior Eric Marriott (Niagara Falls, Ont.) for the four-run margin. Mitchell then put the game out of reach by taking advantage of another infield miscue. Senior Kyle Hartenstein (Meriden, Conn.) drove in two runs for the 9-3 final score.

The Rams originally staked the 1-0 edge on an RBI single through the left side of the infield by senior Greg Speliotis (Salem, Mass.). Suffolk added two more scores when junior Trevor Lee (Flanders, N.J.) lined a two-run single to left field with two outs.

After Mitchell Head Coach Travis Beausoleil went to the bullpen in relief of sophomore Jakari Pellegrini (New Britain, Conn.) in the top of the second, Thivierge (1-1) gave the Mariners exactly what they needed to stave off elimination. The right-hander retired 19 of the last 28 batters he saw and rung up the side on strikes when Suffolk threatened with runners on first and second in the top of the eighth.

Over his 7 1/3 innings of work, Theiverge allowed five hits to go with three walks and four punchouts.

Fusco ended up settling down and he set down nine of ten over his next three frames of work. Fusco (6-3) finished giving up seven runs (six earned) on three hits to go with six walks and two strikeouts. Junior Jake Flax (Wyckoff, N.J.) added two scoreless frames to finish the game for the Rams.

Speliotis, freshman Blasé Cormier (Wayland, Mass.) and sophomore Tim Bringham (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) all had two-base knocks each for Suffolk while Mitchell had no multi-hitters.

Despite the loss, Suffolk actually outhit Mitchell, 8-5 as the Mariners did not record a hit until the top of the third with the 6-3 advantage.

Steven M. Miller, Jr.