MANCHESTER, N.H. – Sophomore Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) came through in the clutch with a two out pinch hit home run to extend game two and eventually lead to a 7-3 win over the No. 7 Southern New Hampshire Penmen as part of a doubleheader split against the Northeast-10 Northeast Division rival.

Garcia's hit was one of two for the infielder on the day while he was also one of four players who drove in a pair of runs. Leading the Chargers bats overall across the doubleheader was freshman centerfielder Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) who finished with four hits in eight at bats including a double. He also drove in two runs.

Shortstop Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) also combined for three hits on the day, while four other players all joined Garcia with two hits apiece, part of 19 total hits for New Haven in the doubleheader. Rounding out those with a multi-RBI outing was designated hitter Nick Perrelli (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) and freshman Billy Huber (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) whose two RBI came as insurance runs in the 10th inning of game two.

Freshman Brandon Lamanna suffered the defeat in the marathon opener, pitching 2.1 innings of relief and allowing one earned run while scattering three hits and striking out four batters. Lamanna was the sixth pitcher used by the Chargers in the 15-inning thriller with senior righty Mike Schettino (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) pitching 5.1 innings in his fifth start of the season. Schettino was tagged for three runs, two of which were earned, on three hits and a walk while striking out a pair.

Senior closer Kellen Croce (Middlebury, Conn./Gunnery School / Maine), a lefthander, pitched the longest outing in relief, four innings total. He was credited with allowing a pair of runs, one of which was earned, on five total hits and a walk. Croce also finished out the appearance with seven strikeouts, the most among 15 total in the opening game for the Chargers pitching staff.

Coming out of the field in order to be used as a reliever in game two, junior southpaw Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)) earned his second victory of the season. Overall, Caico pitched four complete innings without allowing a run while giving up two hits and walking two batters. He also struck out five batters, part of 15 total for the Chargers in game two.

Despite giving up three runs, two of which were earned, junior right hander Tim Kennedy (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) pitched six quality innings in his fourth start of the season. Overall, Kennedy gave up three hits and walked four batters, while recording 10 outs by way of strikeouts, including six looking. Overall for the day, New Haven's pitching staff struck out 30 batters.

Game One Highlights

·         The Chargers got on the board first in the opening game, taking a 5-0 lead following three innings thanks to a single run in the second and a four-run third inning.

·         The first run of the afternoon began with a leadoff double to center field from third baseman Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic). After being sacrificed to third by right fielder Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)), Zagaja was able to score on a groundout to short with first baseman Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) picking up the RBI.

·         In the fourth inning, the first four Chargers reached safely on three hits and a walk. The first hit in that rally was a double to left center for short stop Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush). After second baseman Nick Russo (Shirley, N.Y./William Floyd) was issued a walk, left fielder Robert Petrillo (Branford, Conn./Branford) earned his first hit of the day on a bunt down the first baseline. With the bases loaded, designated hitter Nick Perrelli (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) drilled a single to left with Walraven and Russo racing home for a pair of RBI for Perrelli. Petrillo would then score on a wild pitch, which also advanced Perrelli to third. He was then driven home by Caico who grounded out to short.  

·         After the Penmen pulled within one scoring four runs over the fifth and sixth innings, the Chargers added an insurance run in the top of the ninth with catcher PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) taking advantage of a throwing error by the shortstop. Contreras originally reached base with a single through the left side. He then took advantage of a throw down to second while Walraven stole second by taking off for the plate and scoring thanks to the error.

·         The Penmen would manage to extend the game, scoring twice in the bottom half of the ninth to knot the game at six using three-straight hits and an error that extended the inning.

·         Through the first four extra innings, neither team would manage to get a runner closer than second base, with the Chargers the first to do so in the 14th inning. Dylon Grzenda (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) took advantage of a wild pitch on a third strike, reaching first base. He would advance 90 feet thanks to a single to left from Zagaja and advanced to third on a fly ball to right but would remain stranded as the Penmen reliever, Stephen Fortuna, closed out the inning with a strikeout.

·         Southern New Hampshire would then muster the game-winning run in the bottom of the 15th inning after the Penmen catcher Cam Oliveira led off the frame with a single through the left side. After advancing to second, he was able to score wheeling 180 feet on a second hit in the inning, this one to right center from the leadoff batter, third baseman Zach Goldstein.

Game Two Highlights

·         Southern New Hampshire struck first in the nightcap, scoring single runs in the first and second innings, the first coming courtesy of a New Haven error and the second coming on a pair of hits for the Penmen.

·         After being held to just one first inning hit through the first five innings, the Chargers broke that drought with a two-out infield single to second from Perrelli. He advanced into scoring position thanks to a four-pitch walk issued to Zagaja. Rookie centerfielder Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) responded to a pair of runners on by drilling his fourth hit of the day, combined over the two games, to left field for a double. That hit allowed Perrelli to score from second while Zagaja wheeled home from 270 feet away.   

·         The Penmen answered that two RBI double by Chamberlain by taking the lead right back in the bottom of the sixth, using a one-out walk to their advantage by manufacturing the run with a stolen base and a single through the left side.

·         New Haven worked out of eighth inning trouble when after the first three batters of the inning reached safely. Caico, who came out of the field for the game in order to be used in a relief pitching roll, would respond to the bases loaded, no out situation by striking out the next three batters.

·         With Caico's pitching leaving the Chargers with just a one run deficit, Garcia would enter as a pinch hitter with two outs in the bottom of ninth inning and come through in the clutch. The sophomore infielder drilled the first pitch he saw over the left field fence to knot the game at three. The home run for Garcia was his first of the season and just the second of his career in a Blue and Gold uniform.

·         After stranding two more Penmen on base in the bottom of the ninth, the Chargers rallied for four runs in the first extra frame of game two as the first two batters all reached safely for New Haven. Russo and Petrillo led off the inning with back-to-back singles before a walk issued to Perrelli loaded the bases. Zagaja responded to the no-out scenario with a fly ball to right field that drove in the first run of the inning while a fielder's choice off the bat of catcher PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) allowed Petrillo to score.

·         Following that play, freshman right fielder Billy Huber (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) drilled his first hit of the day to right field, wheeling out a triple and clearing the bases for a pair of RBI. That triple by Huber also forced the Penmen to make a pitching change in order to get out of the inning.

Next Up
New Haven will play just one game in the week ahead, however it will come as a divisional match-up against the Pace Setters. The Chargers travel to Finnerty Field in Pleasantville, N.Y. for a 3:30 p.m. first pitch in a single game against the Setters on Wednesday, April 12.