BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - The University of New Haven baseball team defeated Adelphi University in both games of a doubleheader on Sunday and earned the fourth and final spot in the 2012 Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division playoffs with the sweep. Sophomore right hander John Melville (Ulster Park, N.Y./Kingston) opened the day with a complete game three-hitter in the Chargers' 4-0 victory. UNH then came back from a 0-2 deficit in the eighth inning of the nightcap to down the Panthers 6-2 in the final game of the regular season.

The Chargers improved to 24-17-1 overall and 11-9-1 in the Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division. The Sunday sweep put the Chargers a half-game ahead of Adelphi who fell to 23-22 overall and 11-10 in divisional play. New Haven earned the last spot in the conference championship tournament with the two wins.

Game One
Melville pitched one of his best games of his career in the first game. The sophomore allowed just three hits, while striking out three batters in the complete game shutout. Left fielder Chris DeMorais (West Hartford, Conn./Conard) led the UNH bats with two hits and one RBI.

In the top of the third inning, David Wirkus (Orange, Conn./Fairfield Prep / St. Anselm College) led off with a single, while two batters later, Brendan O'Reilly drove in the eventual game-winning run with a double to left field. O'Reilly advanced to third on a ground out and then scored off a passed walk to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead. Cory Carr (Jackson, N.J./Jackson Memorial) earned a walk in the next at-bat to once again put a runner on base. Ryan Brockett (Guilford, Conn./Guilford ) stepped to the plate with two outs and drove in the Chargers' third run with a double down the left field line.

In the bottom of the sixth, Adelphi put two runners on base with a hit by pitch and a walk. Melville pitched out of the inning and allowed just one base runners the remainder of the game.

In the top of the ninth, DeMorais drove in the Chargers final run with a double to left center. Brendon Buckley (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) scored on the played after earning first base with a hit by pitch. A ground out, pop up and fly out in the bottom of the ninth retired the side for UNH and sealed the victory.

Game Two
After giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Chargers narrowed the Panthers' lead to 1-2 in the top of the seven inning. UNH followed with another five runs in the top of the eighth inning to sealed the win. Frank Vilacha (Dartmouth, Mass./Dartmouth) threw the final four innings and struckout three to earn his fourth win of the season.

In the bottom of the first, Adelphi put together three hits for two runs to take the early lead. The Chargers managed just four base runners through the next five innings, while recording just one hit through six innings.

Andrew Johnson (Branford, Conn./Branford / Wheaton) opened the seventh inning by reaching base off an error by the center fielder. Brendon Buckley (Monroe, Conn./Masuk) then singled through the right side and drove in the Chargers' first run from first base.

After retiring the side in the bottom of the seventh, the Chargers added five runs off four hits in the top of the eighth. Johnson tied the game with a RBI-single down the right field line to score Carr. Buckley then drove in the game-winning run with a RBI-single to shortstop. Catcher Joe Romanelli (Baldwin, N.Y./Holy Trinity) concluded scoring with a three-run homerun with two outs in the next at-bat.

The UNH defense stayed solid and retired six-straight batters to conclude the eighth and ninth innings.

Romanelli led the Chargers with three RBIs, while Buckley added two hits in four at-bats with two RBIs and one run. Johnson went 1-for-4 at the plate with two runs and one RBI.

New Haven will open the 2012 Northeast-10 Conference Championship tournament on Tuesday, May 8 at Pace University. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Pleasantville, N.Y. The winner will advance to the double elimination portion of the tournament on Thursday, May 10. For complete coverage throughout the week, stay posted to www.NewHavenChargers.com.