BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two

ALBANY, N.Y. - The University of New Haven baseball team defeated the College of Saint Rose in two games Sunday afternoon. The Chargers won 2-1 in the opening game Sunday and won their 11th straight in a 4-2 win in the nightcap. The Chargers improve to 13-2 overall and open their Northeast-10 Conference schedule with two wins. The Golden Knights fall to 5-14 overall and 1-3 in the NE-10.

Game One
The first game of the day's doubleheader started out with six complete innings of scoreless baseball. Both teams defense played stellar and the Chargers were first to get on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh inning. Tom Ballaro (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) drove in the run with a triple to right center, while sophomore Jordan Kershaw (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) scored the game's first run. St. Rose evened the score in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single to the pitcher.

David Wirkus (Orange, Conn./Fairfield Prep / St. Anselm College) was the second batter in the eighth inning for UNH. He connected on a single through the right side and then stole second base. He quickly advanced to third base when the St. Rose catcher over threw the ball on an attempt to catch Wirkus stealing second. Kyle Donnelly (Oneonta, N.Y./Oneonta) then reached base on a walk and the Golden Knights changed pitchers. Donnelly then created a rundown situation between first and second base, which allowed Wirkus to steal home and score the game-winning run.

Chris Smith (Shelton, Conn./Emmett O'Brien Tech.) started the game on the mound for UNH and pitched 6 2/3 innings. Mitch Rossi (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central) stepped in for the final 2 1/3 innings and earned the win. At the plate, Ballaro and Cory Carr (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) each tallied two hits for the Chargers.

Game Two
The Golden Knights scored in the top of the opening inning of the second game on Sunday. St. Rose added a run in the fifth inning, taking a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Ballaro grounded out to shortstop, but drove in Carr who had reached third base on a walk, single and wild pitch. The sixth and seventh innings were scoreless, but the Chargers took the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Taylor Candage (Portland, Maine/Deering) stepped into the game in the bottom of the eighth inning for Alex Smith (Manchester, Conn./Manchester), who pitched the opening innings. Jordan Kershaw (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) was the first to get on base with a single and Tom Rombilus (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) singled later in the inning. Candage then stepped to the plate and hit a bomb to center field in his first collegiate plate appearance. His double cleared the bases and put him in scoring position. Later in the inning, Candage scored off a Carr RBI double.

The freshman pitcher then stepped onto the mound and shutdown the Golden Knights in his second save of the season.

Candage led the Chargers with his hit and two RBI's. Carr added one RBI, one run and three walks. Alex Smith (Manchester, Conn./Manchester) started the game on the mound for UNH and recorded nine strikeouts in his third win of the season.

The Chargers return to action on Tuesday, March 23 when they host Adelphi University. Game time at Frank Vieira Field is 3 p.m.