WEST HAVEN, Conn. - The University of New haven softball team swept a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader from the Merrimack Warriors, winning game one 3-2 in eight innings before claiming the nightcap 8-1 in a game shortened to six innings due to darkness.

With the wins, the Chargers are now 10-11-1 overall and 7-4 in the NE-10. The Warriors fall to 12-20 with a 5-9 conference record. 

In game one, New Haven trailed 2-0 into the fifth inning before making its move. Kristine Liptack (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) walked to open the frame. Erin Stever (Parish, N.Y./Altmar Parish Williamstown) came in to pinch-run and moved to second two batters later on a groundout before stealing third. Jen Palase (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) came up next and singled home Stever to pull the Chargers within a run. 

In the seventh, New Haven was down to its final out when Erika Williams (Oneida, N.Y./Oneida) tripled down the leftfield line. On a two-strike pitch to Palase, the Merrimack pitcher uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Williams to score, tying the game at 2-2. 

As the game went into extra innings, the Chargers did not have to wait long to come away with the win. With one out, Gilly Childs (Los Angeles, Calif./Notre Dame Academy) singled into right field. Julie Devlin (Baldwin, N.Y./Northwood School) followed with a double into the left-centerfield gap, scoring Childs with the game-winning run. 

Nicole King (4-5) went the distance in the circle for New Haven, striking out a season-high 12 batters, walking none.

In game two, after Merrimack scored in the top of the first, the Chargers battled back in the second. With Liptack on first base after a fielder's choice, Gabby DeLeo (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Hubert Catholic) drove a double into the left-centerfield gap, plating Liptack to tie the game at 1-1. Marissa Colby (Carlton, Mass./Shepherd Hill) followed with a double to leftfield, scoring DeLeo for a 2-1 New Haven lead. 

After the Chargers added a run in the third when a Childs sac fly brough home Jen Palase (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville), they put the game away in the fifth, scoring five times, keyed by RBI singles from Williams, Schiebe and Devlin to extend the lead to 8-1. 

Victoria Cabral (New Britain, Conn./Miss Porter's School / Hofstra) (6-5) earned the game two victory, going the distance, surrendering just one unearned run, striking out four. 

Offensively in the twinbill, Devlin and Williams each had three hits. 

New Haven has a quick turnaround before it hosts Northeast-10 Conference Southwest Division rival Pace in a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 15 at 3:00 p.m.