BSB: Mitchell’s Season Comes to an End with NCAA Regional Loss to Kean
Release Courtesy of Mitchell Athletic Communications
MEDFORD, Mass. – The Mitchell College baseball team saw its season come to an end on Saturday afternoon, falling 11–6 to No. 19/20 Kean University in an elimination game during the NCAA Regional Round hosted by Tufts University at Sol Gittleman Park.
The Mariners conclude the 2026 campaign with an overall record of 29-14 after capturing their second Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championship in the last three seasons and earning the program's 10th berth into the NCAA Tournament.
The Mariners wasted little time jumping ahead, scoring the game's first run on an RBI double down the right field line off the bat of junior Michael Ficocelli (North Providence, R.I.) in the top of the first, plating senior Nicholas Bracale (East Haven, Conn.), who reached base on a Kean throwing error.
Similar to Friday, Mitchell's early lead was quickly erased, as the Cougars pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning on RBI singles by Jude Clough and JT Abrusci to take a 2–1 lead. Kean tacked on two more runs in the second, chasing Mitchell freshman starter Andrew Manzo (North Haven, Conn.) from the game.
The Cougars extended the lead in the fourth inning with three additional runs, highlighted by RBI hits from Clough, John Chiusano, and Abrusci, to make it 7–1. Mitchell then trimmed the deficit to 7–3 in the sixth when senior Johnny Brucato (Cheshire, Conn.) drove home fellow senior Savier Paige (Wethersfield, Conn.) on a fielder's choice.
Kean added four insurance runs in the eighth inning to stretch the lead to 11–3 before Mitchell mounted a late rally in the ninth. Junior Chas Terni Jr. (Montville, Conn.) delivered a two-run double to left field, and freshman Angel Rodriguez Cruz (Cidra, P.R.) followed with an RBI single to cap the scoring.
Mitchell finished with eight hits in the contest. Ficocelli and junior Christopher Piscione (Cranston, R.I.) each recorded two hits, while Terni Jr. drove in two runs. Bracale, Rodriguez Cruz, and Brucato also recorded RBI in the loss.
On the mound, Manzo took the loss after allowing four runs over 1.2 innings. Senior Jacob Quiles (Wallkill, N.Y.) followed with 2.1 innings of relief, while senior Dom Yarson (Ewing, N.J.) tossed the final 4.0 innings and struck out five.
Kean totaled 16 hits in the victory, led by Clough, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Justin Teixeira added three hits and two RBI, while Chiusano drove in three runs for the Cougars.
Connor Ramsey earned the win for Kean after allowing three runs, two earned, across 8.2 innings while striking out four.