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Southwestern’s Pascarella Has Big Day Vs. Olean

Junior SS Goes 5 For 5, Drives In Five At St. Bonaventure

ST. BONAVENTURE — In the pouring rain, Mitchell Pascarella came through for the Southwestern Trojans.

The junior shortstop went 5 for 5 with two doubles, a triple and five RBIs as Southwestern beat nonleague Olean, 13-11, on a cold, wet day at Fred Handler Park.

“This is the type of breakout game we’ve been waiting for Mitchell to have,” Southwestern coach Jared Brown said.

Pascarella singled and scored in the first inning, hit a three-run double and scored in the second inning, added a two-run triple and scored in the third inning, doubled and scored in the fifth inning, and singled and scored in the sixth inning for the Trojans (9-6, 6-5 CCAA D1 West), who lost to the Huskies (11-5, 8-1 CCAA D1 East), 5-1 at Packard Field, earlier this season.

Southwestern scored three in the top of the first inning, but trailed 6-3 heading into the second. The Trojans then scored five runs to take an 8-6 lead, which they would never relinquish.

Southwestern led 10-9 after the third inning and 13-9 after Pascarella singled and Aidan Kennedy followed with an RBI triple in the top of the sixth inning.

“The one at-bat that sticks out the most — after he roped two line drives and sent on to the left-field fence that on a different day probably would’ve gone out — was Mitchell’s final at-bat,” Brown said. “He was just trying to kill the ball but they were pitching him away so he shortened up his swing and roped one to right field. He just went with the pitch and lined one the opposite way. To have Kennedy come up with two outs and knock him in was a bonus.”

Jack Brinkley settled things down on the mound for the Trojans, throwing four innings while allowing three runs and striking out two before running into trouble in the seventh inning. After Brinkley walked the leadoff batter, Brown turned to Kennedy, who struck out the first man he faced. After another walk, Kennedy picked up his second strikeout, but walked the bases loaded with two outs.

A two-run single made it 13-11, but Kennedy got Mike Schmidt to hit a grounder up the middle and Pascarella ranged to his left before throwing to first for the final out.

“He was focused at the plate today and in the field,” Brown said of Pascarella. “He made a lot of good plays.”

Kennedy finished 2 for 3 with his triple and two RBIs.

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