ELON, N.C. ? Mike Melillo, a catcher on the Elon baseball team, went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs as the Newport Gulls defeated the Vermont Mountaineers, 12-6, in the 2009 New England Collegiate Baseball League Finals. With the win, the Newport Gulls were crowned the NECBL champions, the team’s fourth championship title since 2001.
 
Melillo’s round-tripper led off the second inning and gave the Gulls a 2-1 lead. In the seventh inning, Melillo hit an RBI-single for his second RBI of the game. He was also hit by a pitch in the third.
 
Melillo started 31 games for the Newport Gulls, finishing with a .234 batting average. He recorded 26 hits that included four doubles and four home runs, the third most home runs on the team. Melillo drove in 13 runs and scored 16 and was a perfect three-for-three in stolen bases. His 18 walks were the third most on the team.
 
Starting every game but one during his junior season with the Phoenix, Melillo carried a .344 batting average. He finished the season second on the team in home runs with 18 and was responsible for 130 runs, scoring 67 and driving in 59.