New London — With his younger brother and parents by his side, Mitchell College's Hunter Yaworski walked out on the field during a Senior Day ceremony between doubleheader games on Saturday.

Yaworski, a starting outfielder, team captain and clean-up hitter for the Mariners, soaked in every moment.

He especially cherishes playing with his brother, Bo, a freshman first baseman, No. 2 hitter and on-base machine.

"I'm just really happy to be here, healthy and playing with my brother," Hunter said. "It was special because you only get to do that once so I was trying to take it all in as it was happening."

It also was a special moment for Bo.

"It was pretty cool," Bo said. "I'm very proud to be his little brother. We're playing on the same team for the first time. I was like, 'That's my brother. He's the man.' "

The Yaworski brothers, both Killingly High School graduates, are helping fuel another successful season for the Mariners.

With a doubleheader sweep of Lesley University, Mitchell improved to 22-7 overall, 5-2 in the New England Collegiate Conference.

As has been the case all season, Hunter and Bo were the driving forces behind the offense. They each contributed an RBI single during a five-run second inning on the way to an 11-1 win in game one.

Bo's double to the right-center field gap drove in three runs during a six-run outburst in the fourth inning in a 9-0 victory in the second game.

"Literally, before the pitch came in, I was thinking, keep my hands inside and drive it," Bo said. "A second later, it was in the gap."

They're among the team leaders in several categories.

Bo, a strong NECC rookie of the year candidate, is first in batting average (.468), RBI (28), walks (29) and hits (37). He leads the nation in on-base percentage.

"It's good to see my blood up there in the rankings and doing so well his first season there," Hunter said. "He's got a lot of room to grow, which is a pretty scary thing. I know he's going to gain some weight these next few years and he can really turn into a monster."

Hunter leads the team in doubles (10) while ranking second in RBI (26) and tied for second in home runs (two).

Coach Travis Beausoleil is just thrilled to have them both.

"It's been great," Beausoleil said. "They're one of the most genuine families. They're raised well. Their dad is a retired school teacher. Jeanette, their mother, supports us so much. They're top-notch good people.

"And, competitively, (Hunter and Bo) are always the last ones to leave the dugout and the locker room. They're always working together. I'm excited that we have Bo for another three years."

Baseball has always been the center of their universe since childhood.

James, a huge fan of the sport, has been a major influence.

It's no coincidence that Hunter and Bo both throw and hit left-handed.

'When we were babies growing up, (dad) would put balls in our left-hand," Bo said.

They never played on the same baseball team at Killingly. When Hunter was a senior, Bo attended Pomfret School. Bo spent his final three seasons at Killingly.

Hunter has carved out a successful career at Mitchell. Eight games in last season, he earned the starting job and ended up batting .457 with eight home runs and 39 RBI — all career highs — and earned all-NECC and all-region honors.

"He got a shot and never looked back," Beausoleil said. "And he just kept it rolling this year. And Bo has been our most valuable player this year. You know you're going to get a quality at-bat every time."

When it came time for Bo to pick a college, he knew that he wanted to play with Hunter.

"That was definitely a big factor when deciding," Bo said.

At Mitchell, they each bring something different to the lineup. Hunter is more of a power hitter while Bo looks to get on base and drives the ball into gaps.

They're each other's biggest fans.

"I'm rooting for him more than I'm rooting for myself," Hunter said. "It's great to see him hit a double or a home run."

With the season winding down, their time on the field together is running out. The Mariners are shooting for the program's eighth NECC crown and a possible return to the NCAA tournament. They're in first place just ahead of New England College (15-12, 5-3).

"I think our consistency as a team could be a little bit better," Bo said. "Overall, our record shows we've been playing really well. We're progressively getting better. By the time the conference tournament comes around, which is soon, I think we're going to be locked in."

News and notes

Mitchell received two strong starting pitching performances in the doubleheader sweep. Freshman Chris Gibbs (5-0) went five innings in game one, allowing two hits and striking out six, while junior Eddie Kaftan (4-2) of Old Lyme pitched a three-hitter in game two while going the distance, striking out six and walking one. It was Kaftan's first career shutout. ... Junior Lelo Martinez of New London had four hits and an RBI in the two games and sophomore Justin Adorno had four hits and four RBI. Senior Dougie DelaCruz of Montville belted his second home run of the season.

g.keefe@theday.com