UNH 6, Molloy 5

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 10 University of New Haven softball team came from behind to win 6-5 over Molloy College on Friday afternoon. The win puts UNH ahead 1-0 in the three-game series in the NCAA Div. II East Super Regional Championships. Christina Gelardi (Derby, Conn./Derby) scored the walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh to give UNH the win. The Chargers improve to 42-6 overall, while Molloy sits at 41-19.

UNH shut down the Lions in their first at bat, highlighted by Chelsea Harold (Oxford, Conn./Seymour )'s impressive catch in left field with the ball teetering on clearing the fence.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Chargers jumped out to a 2-0 lead. With bases loaded following three consecutive walks, Gelardi made it four in a row collecting an RBI walk that brought in Breanne Gleason (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Central ) from third. The next at bat with the bases still loaded, Allison Vaughan (Medford, N.J./Shawnee ) laid down a perfectly placed bunt in front of the pitcher that allowed Nicole Downs (Seymour, Conn./Seymour) to score for the second run.

After a scoreless second inning, Molloy was able to put together five runs off of 3 hits. The Lions also got help from four uncharacteristic errors from the Chargers.

Behind 5-2, the Chargers started closing in on the Lions in the fifth by adding two runs. Gleason led the inning off with a double to right field to gain momentum in New Haven’s favor. Downs then immediately followed that with a triple to right field that brought Gleason across the plate. The next at bat Meghan Walter (Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore ) hit it to the pitcher who opted to go for Downs who was gunning for the plate. The ball and tag was late as Downs swiped home to bring the lead to 5-4.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Chargers tied the game at 5-5. Shannon Angehr (Levittown, N.Y./Division Avenue ) started the inning off with a single to left field. She then took second on an illegal pitch from Molloy’s relief pitcher Kelley Jansen. Angehr then moved to third off a passed ball. The same at bat, with Harold at the plate, an illegal pitch was again called allowing Harold to take first on a walk and Angehr to advance a base, which was home, for the tying run.

The Chargers then silenced Molloy’s offense in the top of the seventh to put the game in their bats.

In UNH's final at bat, Gelardi connected for a hard hit single right at the pitcher that was too much to handle to lead off the inning. Vaughan followed with a single herself – this one to center field. The game then ended in dramatic fashion. On a gutsy play, Gelardi went to swipe third, when Molloy’s catcher made a bad throw that deflected off the third basemen’s glove, Gelardi got herself up and quickly motored to home for the walk-off run.

Gelardi and Vaughan led the Charger offense with two hits and an RBI, while Angehr tallied two hits and a run.

From the mound, Gleason picked up her 37th win of the season. She allowed four hits and no earned runs, while striking out eight.

Molloy’s relief pitcher, Kelley Jensen, collected the loss for the Lions.

New Haven and Molloy are back on Saturday for the second game of the NCAA Div. II East Super Regional. Game time is set for 1:00 p.m. at the UNH Softball Field.