QUEENS, N.Y. – The University of New Haven baseball team got two good starting pitching performances as the Chargers notched their first wins of 2016 with a doubleheader sweep of the Queens (N.Y.) Knights on Sunday afternoon. New Haven took the first game 4-3 before winning game two 5-0.
 
Game one was scoreless into the sixth when the Chargers broke the pitchers' duel with some timely hitting and a defensive miscue from the Knights. Dylon Grzenda (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) led off with a walk and stole second. Nick Russo (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd) came up and laid down a sac bunt, but the throw to first was high, putting runners on the corners. Two batters later Robert Petrillo (Branford, Conn./Branford) followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Grzenda for a 1-0 lead. TJ Riccio (Port Jeff Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) kept the inning going with a single, advancing Russo to third. Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) came to the plate and delivered the big blow, unleashing a three-run home run to left, putting New Haven up 4-0.
 
Queens responded immediately in the bottom of the inning using some small ball as after loading the bases, an RBI single and two groundouts accounted for three runs, chopping the lead to 4-3. After a scoreless top of the seventh, Will Aldam (Danbury, Conn./Berkshire School) was able to set down the Knights in order in the bottom of the frame to earn his first save of the season.

Vincent Aprea (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) (1-0) picked up the win going five-plus innings, walking two and striking out six.
 
Game two also saw the pitchers dominate early as neither team scored in the first four innings. In the fifth, PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) led off with a single and moved to second on an Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) sacrifice. Two batters later, Nick Russo (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd) tripled to center to score Contreras. On an 0-1 pitch to Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)), Joseph Broderick uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Russo to score for a 2-0 New Haven lead.
 
The inning continued as Caico was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Petrillo single. Riccio was also hit by a pitch to load the bases. An error by the third baseman off a ball hit by Zagaja allowed two runs to score, increasing the lead to 4-0. The Chargers padded the lead in the seventh as Russo led off with a double and was singled home two batters later by Petrillo.
 
The offense was plenty for Kellen Croce (Middlebury, Conn./Gunnery School) (1-1) who authored his first career complete game shutout. He allowed just four hits, did not walk a batter and struck out nine.


Petrillo led the offense in the second game, going 4-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Russo and Contreras each contributed a pair of hits.
 
The Chargers return to action on Tuesday, March 8 when they host Dominican at Vieira Field at 3:00 p.m.