WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Behind a stellar pitching performance from junior David Palmer (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip), the University of New Haven baseball team (26-10) shutout Southwest Division third seed Le Moyne 3-0 to advance to NE10 Championship weekend. By virtue of Pace defeating Southern Connecticut State in the other Southwest Division First Round game, New Haven has won hosting rights for Championship Weekend. A complete weekend schedule will be posted as soon as it is available.
Palmer, who improved to 7-0 on the season, threw seven scoreless innings, stranding six runners on base. Overall the righty allowed six hits but did not issue a free pass. He also struck out a career-high 10 batters. Closing out the victory for New Haven was lefthander Kellen Croce (Middlebury, Conn./Gunnery School / Maine) who struck out the side in the ninth inning to earn his sixth save. Lefty Josh Walker (Otisville, N.Y./Minisink Valley) also pitched a relief inning for New Haven, striking out a pair.
At the plate, right fielder Nick Perrelli (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) led the Blue and Gold bats with a pair of the five total hits for New Haven. He also drove in a run and scored once. Centerfielder Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) and third baseman Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) also had an RBI on the day with Zagaja's coming on a sacrifice and Chamberlain's on a double to left center. Along with Chamberlain's double, Perrelli and left fielder Robert Petrillo (Branford, Conn./Branford) also drilled a two-base hit on the day.
HIGHLIGHTS
· Palmer worked out of trouble in his very first inning when he stranded a runner 90 feet from scoring with one out in the frame by recording back-to-back strikeouts to the third and fourth batters in the lineup for the Dolphins.
· The Dolphins next threat came in the top of the fifth inning when right fielder Mark Martin led off with a double to left center on the first pitch he faced from Palmer. The Chargers starter didn't get flustered as he would force the next three batters into fly ball outs to keep the shutout intact.
· The Chargers wouldn't muster their first hit until the sixth inning, but that initial base knock was part of two in the inning, both doubles from Petrillo and Perrelli, the latter of which drove in what was the eventual game-winning run.
· Perrelli kept the momentum of his RBI double by taking advantage of a wild pitch to advance to third where he was able to score on a sacrifice fly to left field off of Zagaja's bat,
· After recording at least one strikeout in each of the first four inning, Palmer would close out his day with two more in the seventh inning, with the second a backwards K which secure his first career game with double digit punch outs.
· The Chargers followed up Palmer's final frame on the hill by adding an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out recorded, second baseman James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) beat out an infield single to short and after stealing second was rewarded by Chamberlain who drilled a double deep in the left center gap for the rookie's 15th RBI of the season.
· New Haven turned to its bullpen to close out the day with Walker walking one batter but working out of the eighth inning and Croce striking out the side despite the Dolphins making it interesting by working back-to-back two-out free passes off the closer.
· That save for Croce was his sixth of the season which is the most for a New Haven pitcher since Peter Jay put up 14 stops in 2013.
NORTHEAST-10 CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND (at Vieira Field, West Haven, Conn.)
Thursday, May 11th
Game 5: No. 4 SW Pace vs. No. 2 NE Franklin Pierce – 12:00 PM
Game 6: No. 2 SW New Haven vs. No. 1 NE Southern New Hampshire – 3:00 PM
Friday, May 12th
Game 7: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser – 10:00 AM
Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner – 12:30 PM
Game 9: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 loser – 3:00 PM
Saturday, May 13th
Game 10: Championship Game – 11:00 AM
Game 11: If necessary, 35 minutes after completion of Game #10
