NEWS

Mike Bello (Auburn) had three hits and drove in a run for Mystic as the Schooners picked up a 4-1 win over Newport in the lone game that survived a host of rain-outs across the league on Monday.

Mystic Schooners 4 - Newport Gulls 1

NEWPORT, R.I. - The Mystic Schooners (15-10) defeated the Newport Gulls (21-7) 4-1 at Cardines Field in a matchup of the top two teams in the Coastal Division. 

Drew Kron (UConn) singled home Michael Handal (Stetson) in the second to get things started for the visitors and Anthony DePino (URI) added a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning, as the Schooners never trailed. 

They tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth on a single by Bello.

Newport managed to avoid the shutout with an unearned run in their final at-bat, with Matthew Schark (Southern Illinois) picking up an RBI single.

Schooners pitching held the Newport offense to just seven hits and one unearned run while striking out 11 batters. Starter Matthew Fletcher (Lasell) went 4.2 innings of two-hit ball, striking out six. The win went to John Modugno (Rutgers), who tossed 1.1 innings of shutout relief. Connor Podeszwa (Tufts) added an inning of scoreless ball, and TJ Melani (Stetson) struck out two over the final two innings for the save, his first of the summer.

Ryan Andrade (URI) took the loss for the Gulls. The Newport starter went three and two-thirds innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits and four walks, with four strikeouts.

Mystic begins a homestand tomorrow with a 4:00 PM home game against Upper Valley. Newport looks to rebound when they travel to the Shark Tank for a 7:05 PM date with Martha’s Vineyard.