WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State University baseball team opened the 2023 regular season this afternoon, falling in a non-conference game to Mitchell College 16-2 from New London, Conn. The Owls will now travel south for spring break as Westfield will play seven games from Millington, Tennessee beginning on Friday.

Mitchell opened the game with a one-two-three inning in the top half of the first, then proceeded to rack up ten runs in the bottom half of the frame. Matt Falk (Enfield, Conn.) opened the scoring with a three-run triple with Robbie DelaCruz (Uncasville, Conn.) clearing the bases with a triple of his own to push the Mariners lead to 7-0. Three more runners came around to score to cap the inning.

The Owls attempted to put a rally together in the ensuing inning after singles from Nick Marshall (Reading, Mass.), Ethan Day (Meriden, Conn.), and Devin Slattery (Ware, Mass.) loaded the bases with nobody out. Kyle Darby (South Windsor, Conn.) and Trey Faulkner (Springfield, Mass.) both produced RBI singles, but that would be the only runs tallied on the day for the Owls.

Mitchell tacked on two additional runs in the second, fifth, and seventh innings to pile up 16 runs on 14 hits.

Day recorded a multi-hit game, adding two hits in his three at bats. Falk and Robbie DelaCruz collected eight of the Mariners 16 runs on the afternoon with Falk leading the team with five runs batted in.

Chris Gibbs (New Britain, Conn.) got the start for Mitchell, tossing three innings and allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts. Ryan Robidoux (Suffield, Conn.) got the nod for Westfield, surrendering eight runs (seven earned) in the outing. Colton Vasseur (Colchester, Conn.) was the most productive arm out of the Owls bullpen, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings while fanning two hitters.

Westfield State will return to the diamond in Millington, Tennessee as the Owls will face North Park in a neutral site game at USA Stadium Complex on Friday at 3:00 P.M. EST.