By: Shannon Bickert

The Schooners continued their slide, dropping their third straight game. Danbury defeated Mystic 4-3 in 10-innings on Friday, June 26. The Schooners fell to 10-7 on the summer with the loss, while Danbury moved to 6-10.

Mystic’s offense continued to struggle with just four hits on the evening.

The Westerners got on the board in the first frame with a two-out rally. Kyle Garbowski (Quinnipiac) worked a four pitch walk off Mike Poncini (Georgetown) and Ronan Donahue (SHU) followed with a base hit, putting runners on the corners. Danbury capitalized on an early error that scored Garbowski for the 1-0 advantage.

The Schooners answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first against Cole Kochanowicz (Lehigh). Casey Wensley (Bryant) led off the frame with a walk and advanced to third on an error and passed ball. Bryce Detwiler (UConn) brought Wensley in to score on a chopper to second.

Danbury loaded the bases on three free passes. Poncini left all three runners stranded, getting out of the jam to keep the score knotted at 1-1 in the second.

Thomas O’Connell (UVA) and Joel Collado (URI) worked walks in the second, ending Kochanowicz’s night. The Westerners turned to Hayden Tarsia (Binghamton), who got out of trouble.

Poncini tossed a 1-2-3 third inning with two strikeouts.

Tarsia followed with his own three-up, three-down frame.

Jack Ballou (Lindsey Wilson) took the bump in the fourth for Mystic. Ballou dealt a walk but kept the Danbury bats at bay.

The Schooners pulled ahead in the fourth frame. Anthony Belisario (Portal) and O’Connell worked walks. Belisario swiped two bags while O’Connell stole one, putting two in scoring position for Justin Best (Manhattan). Best broke up the no-hitter with an RBI base-knock to give the Schooners the 2-1 lead.

In the fifth, the Westerners put two aboard against Calvin Gregory (VCU). One reached on an error, while Michael Delph (West Point) hit a single. Gregory kept the Schooners in front, stranding both baserunners.

Scott Penney (URI) poked a single up the middle to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Jack Harley (Stetson) ripped an RBI-double into the right center field gap, extending Mystic’s lead to two runs. Alex Payne (Lafayette) entered with two outs, stranding the runner at third.

The Westerners cut the deficit to one run in the top of the sixth. Tyler Castrataro (Hofstra) ripped a triple into right-center field and came in to score on a wild pitch.

Mystic turned to Brady Bouchard (Stetson) in the seventh inning. Garbowski knocked a single to left, but was caught stealing by the Schooners’ backstop, Collado.

Penney reached on his second hit of the day and moved to second on a misplay by the center fielder. Payne stranded Penney in scoring position, not allowing the Schooners to add insurance.

Connor Lane (UConn) took the ball for the Schooners in the eighth and the Westerners were able to tie the ball game. Delph worked a walk and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. Delph came in to score on a wild pitch.

The sidearm pitcher, Simon Yochum (Davidson), shut down the Schooners in the eighth.

Lane held the Westerners scoreless in the ninth, allowing a walk to Aidan Stern (Trinity), but stranding the runner on the basepaths.

Delph moved from designated hitter to the bump for Danbury in the ninth. Delph worked a 1-2-3 inning, sending the game into extras.

The Schooners sent out MJ Bollinger (UConn) for the 10th inning. The Westerners scored the ghost runner courtesy a sacrifice fly from Gavin Donahue (SHU).

The Schooners were unable to muster a run, dropping their third straight match up.

Mystic heads on the road to face Ocean State on Saturday, June 27. First pitch is set for 6:30 pm.