BOX SCORE BOX SCORE

OAKDALE, N.Y. - The University of New Haven baseball team opened the 2012 season with a big 8-2 victory over Dowling College on Friday afternoon. Sophomore Henry Hirsch (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale) earned the victory, while Mike Aquilino (West Haven, Conn./West Haven) pitched the opening 4 1/3 innings. The Golden Lions fell to 2-3 with the loss.

The Chargers went three-and-out in the first and second innings, while Dowling managed one hit and one base runner. The Chargers seventh batter, Brendon Buckley (Monroe, Conn./Masuk), opened the third inning with a double down the left field line to give UNH its first base runner. Two batters later Joe Romanelli (Baldwin, N.Y./Holy Trinity) hit a ground out to the shortstop, driving in the game's first run. New Haven carried a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning. After a leadoff pop-up, the Golden Lions combined a walk and single to put runners on first and second. Dowling then loaded the bases with one out after a batters was hit by a pitch. The game-tying run was scored off a sacrifice fly with one out.

After two scoreless innings, the fifth and sixth, the Chargers rallied with four runs in the top of the seventh. Ryan Brockett (Guilford, Conn./Guilford ) opened the inning with a walk, while David Wirkus (Orange, Conn./Fairfield Prep / St. Anselm College) answered with another double to left center. Brockett scored all the way from first base and gave the Chargers a 2-1 lead. Cory Carr (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) was next to record a hit with one out. After hitting a single, he advanced to second on an error, while Jack Heary (Portland, Maine/Deering) scored on the same play to give UNH a 3-1 lead. Buckley's next double doube the right field line gave the Chargers a 4-1 lead. He later earned the Chargers fifth run after another infield error by the Golden Lions.

Dowling's final run came off one triple in the bottom of the eighth inning, while the Chargers added three more in the top of the ninth. New Haven loaded the bases and connected four hits to score the trio of runs. Romanelli and Brockett each recorded RBI in the inning.

Buckley went 3-for-4 at the dish with one RBI and three runs. Wirkus and Carr both went 2-for-4, while Carr scored twice and Wirkus drove in one. On the mound, Aquilino started and faced 21 batters. The senior allowed six hits and one earned run. Hirsch entered the game after 4 1/3 innings and threw 3 2/3 innings. He threw one strike out and allowed one earned run. Peter Jay (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) then entered the game in the final inning and closed out the without allowing a hit.

New Haven will return to action on Sunday, March 4 when it travels to Long Island once again. The Chargers will take on Molloy College on the campus of Stony Brook University. The doubleheader is scheduled to start at 12 p.m. For complete coverage, including links to live statistics, stay posted to www.NewHavenChargers.com.