MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The University of New Haven baseball team improved to 8-0 on the year with a big 11-1 win over the Adelphi University Panthers in a non-conference game on Saturday evening at Paul Demie Mainieri Field. New Haven's eight wins matches the best start for the team since the 2004 season when New Haven also began the season with an 8-0 record.
The bats came alive once again for New Haven scoring 11 runs on seven hits. On the season, New Haven is out-hitting opponents, 88-36, and outscoring opponents, 82-15. New Haven's 10.25 runs per game is currently second in all of NCAA Division II behind UNC Pembroke's 10.6 runs per game.
New Haven was powered by junior
Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford), who drove in a career-high five RBI while going 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and a home run. Senior
Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)) knocked in two runs for New Haven with a triple while also tallying three walks on the night. Graduate students
Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) and
Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) were also big contributors on the night as Walraven registered two hits with two runs scored and Zagaja had one hit, one RBI and scored three times. On the base paths, sophomore
Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) recorded one stolen base to remain a perfect 7-for-7 on stolen base attempts this season.
On the hill, senior
David Palmer (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) earned the win, improving his record to 3-0 this season behind seven solid innings of work, allowing just two hits and one unearned run while striking out four.
Palmer set the tone for the Chargers in the top of the first inning, needing only 10 pitches to retire the side in order. At the plate, Chamberlain got on base with a walk and put himself in scoring position with a stolen base. Walraven advanced Chamberlain with a base hit to right field on a 3-2 count before Zagaja reached on an infield single to send Chamberlain home. Caico followed with his second triple of the season down the right field line to clear the bases and Garcia continued the rally with an opposite field homer as New Haven leaped out to a 5-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
Adelphi crossed its only run of the game in the top of the second off a Charger throwing error, but Garcia recovered to throw out the runner at second base trying to advance to cut the inning short for the Panthers. Palmer retired the side in order for the next four innings while in the fifth inning, New Haven stretched the lead out to six runs as Zagaja and Walraven scored on a throwing error by Adelphi.
New Haven added four additional runs in the bottom of the seventh as Garcia cleared the bases with a double to right center field and scored on the next at-bat.
The Blue and Gold returns to the diamond tomorrow, March 11, for a top-25 matchup against No. 18 Southern New Hampshire in a non-conference game. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm at the Santaluches Complex in Lantana, Fla.
