BOX SCORE WEST HAVEN, Conn. - The University of New Haven baseball team dropped a Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Divisional game 4-7 to No. 25 Southern Connecticut State University Wednesday afternoon at Frank Vieira Field. With the loss, UNH falls to 15-10-1 overall and 3-2-1 in the NE-10 Southwest Division. The Owls improve to 21-10 overall and 3-2 in NE-10 Southwest Divisional play.

Southern Connecticut State opened scoring in the top of the first inning when the Owls' Ryan Geffery hit a two RBI homerun over the fence in right center. The Chargers immediately answered in the bottom of the first. Stephen Clout (Bristol, Conn./Bristol Eastern) led off with a single to right field and Cory Carr (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) earned a walk to put the go-ahead run at home plate. Ryan Brockett (Guilford, Conn./Guilford ) then loaded the bases with a bunt-single to the pitcher and loaded the bases with no outs. After back-to-back strikeouts, Zach Collett (Westbrook, Maine/Westbrook) drew a walk and brought the score to 1-2. UNH catcher Joe Romanelli (Baldwin, N.Y./Holy Trinity) stepped to the plate and drew the second-straight walk to force in the game-tying run. With a ground out, the Chargers stranded three runners on base in the bottom of the first.

New Haven would take its only lead of the game in the bottom of the second inning. Brendon O'Reilly led-off with a double down the left field line, while Clout advanced O'Reilly with a ground out to the shortstop. Carr stepped to the plate and singled to right field to drive in the go-ahead run. The third, fourth and top of the fifth innings were scoreless, while the Chargers improved their lead in the bottom of the fifth.

Collett hit a one-out single and advanced to second when the SCSU third baseman threw the ball out of the reach of the first baseman. Romanelli then drove in his second run with a RBI-single to center field. Collett scored and gave the Chargers a two-run lead heading into the sixth.

The sixth inning was scoreless, but the Owls strung together three hits and scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to even the score at 4-4. The eighth inning again was scoreless with neither team getting a runner in scoring position.

The Owls sealed the win in the top of the ninth inning with four hits and one UNH error. The inning produced three game-clinching runs for SCSU. Brockett led off the bottom of the ninth by earning base off an Owls throwing error, but the Chargers could not capitalize as three straight outs stranded the shortstop at third base.

Carr led the Chargers with one hit, one RBI and one run. Romanelli added two RBI and one hit, while Collett chipped in with one hit, onr RBI and one run as well.

Taylor Candage (Portland, Maine/Deering) started and pitched the first six 2/3 innings. She threw six strikeouts and allowed four runs. Joey Royer (Westbrook, Maine/Cheverus) threw one 1/3 innings in relief and tossed two strikeouts, allowing no hits. In the final inning, Peter Jay (Shelton, Conn./Shelton) suffered the loss giving up four hits and three runs.

The Chargers return to action on Saturday, April 14 at Le Moyne College. The two teams will also play a doubleheader on Sunday, April 15 in Syracuse, N.Y. Game time on Saturday is set for 3 p.m. followed by a 12 p.m. opening pitch on Sunday. For complete coverage, stay posted to www.NewHavenChargers.com.