NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Freshman first baseman Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) led the New Haven offense with three RBI as the Chargers dropped a 10-5 decision to Southern Connecticut State University on Wednesday in a Northeast-10 Southwest Division match-up. With the loss, New Haven falls to 14-17 overall and 7-9 in the NE-10.
Garcia's three hits came on a pair of hits as he was joined by senior catcher TJ Riccio (Port Jeff Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) in leading the team with two hits apiece. Overall, New Haven finished with seven hits, compared to 14 for the Owls. Robert Petrillo (Branford, Conn./Branford), Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)) and James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) all finished with one hit for the Blue and Gold, while Riccio and Caico each added an RBI to their tally.
On the hill, Vincent Aprea (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y./Comsewogue) suffered the loss, his second of the season in four decisions. In five innings of work, Aprea gave up four runs, all earned, on seven hits while striking out one batter. Will Aldam (Danbury, Conn./Berkshire School), Josh Walker (Otisville, N.Y./Minisink Valley) and Brandon Cruz (Brentwood, N.Y./St. Anthony's) all saw time out of the pen for the Chargers with Cruz the only to finish his day without allowing a run. Cruz pitched one inning and did not give up a hit, facing just three batters and striking out one. Aldam finished one-third of an inning of work with three earned runs allowed, while Walker gave up three runs, two earned, in 1.2 innings of action.
New Haven opened up the scoring with a pair of runs in the second inning. Garcia would drive in his first of three runs as the first tally for the Blue and Gold as his double down the right field line allowed Riccio to score. Riccio began the rally with a double, while Garcia was later pushed across the plate in the inning thanks to Caico whose single allowed him to score from second.
The Chargers would add another run in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead, holding the Owls scoreless through the first four frames. The lone run in the third for New Haven came with two outs and began thanks to a defensive miscue at third which allowed Zagaja to reach safely and advance into scoring position. That was followed up by a single up the middle from Riccio that allowed Zagaja to score.
Southern Connecticut would go on to score nine unanswered runs until the Chargers took two back in the top of the seventh thanks to Garcia's second double of the afternoon. This time, Garcia's extra base hit came with two outs and drove in Riccio and Petrillo.
New Haven returns to the diamond for a three-game weekend series against Le Moyne at Dick Rockwell Field in Syracuse, N.Y. The set is scheduled to begin with a single game on Saturday (3:00 p.m.) and will conclude with a twinbill on Sunday (12:00 p.m.)
