BOX SCORE Box Score

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - The University of New Haven baseball team rebounded after a tough loss yesterday afternoon with an 8-5 victory over Adelphi University Thursday afternoon in New York. New Haven improves to 14-3 overall and 3-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference with the win, while the Panthers fall to 13-6 overall and 2-2 in the NE-10.

For the second day in a row Adelphi thought they had earned a victory over UNH, but the Chargers rallied in the final two innings to take their 14th win of the season. The first run in Thursday's game was scored in the bottom of the third inning when the Panthers hit an RBI single.

Adelphi managed to take a 4-0 lead after the bottom of the sixth inning, when they added three runs on five hits. Unfortunately the Chargers could not capitalize in the top of the sixth, leaving two runners on base. Once again the Chargers left a runner on base in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the inning, UNH retired the side, including three strikeouts by Frank Vilacha (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth).

After the Panthers starting pitcher was subbed out in the eighth inning, the Chargers' bats came alive. Three runs off three hits in the top of the eighth put the Chargers behind 4-3. After another Panthers run in the bottom of the eighth, UNH needed two to tie the game in the ninth.

The Chargers scored five runs, all with two outs in the top of the ninth to take an 8-5 lead. Jack Heary (Portland, Maine/Deering) and Jordan Kershaw (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) each recorded two-RBI hits, while Stephen Clout (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) drove in one run that inning. Mitch Rossi (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central), who also pitched the eighth inning, stepped to the mound in the ninth and retired the side.

Rossi earned the win in two innings pitched, his second win of the season. Mike Aquilino (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) pitched five innings for the Chargers, while Chris Smith (Shelton, Conn./Emmett O'Brien Tech.) and Vilacha pitched well in one-inning relief appearances.

Kershaw led the UNH bats with two hits, three RBI's and one run scored. David Wirkus (Orange, Conn./Fairfield Prep / St. Anselm College) added two hits and a run scored, while Heary connected on the one hit for two RBI's. Tom Ballaro (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) also recorded a hit and an RBI in the win.

The Chargers return to action this weekend in a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader against UMass Lowell on Saturday, March 27. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. New Haven travels to Pace University on Sunday afternoon.