HARTFORD, Conn. - The Trinity College baseball team opened New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) play with a commanding 11-2 victory over visiting Bates College on Friday afternoon at Murren Family Field at DiBenedetto Stadium.

The Bantams improve to 10-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play, while the Bobcats fall to 10-2 on the season and 0-1 in the NESCAC.

What Happened:

• After a quiet opening frame, both teams broke through in the second inning. The Bobcats struck first, using a Tyler Tucker sacrifice bunt to bring home Luke Yoon from third for a 1-0 edge.
• Trinity answered in the home half. Timmy Domizio led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a throwing error during a pickoff attempt by Bobcats pitcher John Tully. Aidan Stern lifted a fly-out to move Domizio to third, and Cole Mascolo followed by driving a double to the warning track in right-center, plating Domizio to even the score at 1-1.
• The Bantams seized control in the fourth with a six-run outburst. An error by Tully allowed Stern to reach while Andrew Park crossed the plate and Domizio moved to third, giving Trinity a 2-1 lead. Mascolo was then hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Brett Stone delivered a single through the right side to score two, extending the lead to 4-1.
• After Tyler Bernstein reloaded the bases with a single down the right field line, Dylan Schnitzer's groundout to first brought home another run for a 5-1 advantage. Aidan Stevenson capped the inning with a two-run single into the right-center gap, pushing the Bantams ahead 7-1.
• The Bobcats scratched across a run later in the game following a Trinity error, but the Bantams continued to add on. In the sixth, Bernstein came around to score on a throwing error during a stolen base attempt, making it 8-2.
• Trinity tacked on three more in the seventh. Andrew Park scored on a bases-loaded walk by William Sawyer, and Mascolo followed with an RBI single through the right side. Two batters later, Bernstein lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Stern, sealing the 11-2 victory for the Bantams.

Inside the Numbers:

• The Bantams plated 11 runs on nine hits, highlighted by one extra-base hit, while the Bobcats managed two runs on six hits with one extra-base knock.
• Cole Mascolo went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored, and two RBIs. Brett Stone and Aidan Stevenson each recorded a hit and drove in two runs. Dylan Schnitzer, Aidan Stern, and William Sawyer also contributed RBIs, while Stern and Andrew Park scored twice. Timmy Domizio added a two-hit, three-run performance at the top of the lineup.
• Joe Capano (1-0) earned the win on the mound, allowing six hits over seven innings of work. Matthew Limongelli (8th) and John Sharkey (9th) each tossed a scoreless inning in relief, issuing one walk apiece.

Up Next:
The Bantams return to the diamond Saturday, March 28, to wrap up their three-game series against Bates College. First pitch for game one is set for 12 p.m., followed by game two at 2:30 p.m.