WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The University of New Haven baseball team (14-0 overall) continued its dominance, securing a doubleheader sweep over the Goldey-Beacom Lightning on Sunday afternoon at Frank Vieira Field. In addition, New Haven remains as the only unbeaten team in all of NCAA Division II. Behind a dominating performance at the plate from senior outfielder Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)), the Chargers posted a 9-0 shutout in the opening game before taking a 6-5 victory in the nightcap.
Caico finished his day with a combined six hits in eight at bats for a .750 average, while driving in three runs and drilling his third home run of the season well beyond the 370-foot fence in right field. Overall, four of Caico's hits went for extra bases as he smacked a trio of doubles.
Joining Caico in leading the team with three RBI on the afternoon was graduate third baseman Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) who's three RBI came on three hits, including the only other home run of the day as he sailed his down the left field line. Two other players combined for three hits on the day with graduate shortstop Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) and freshman outfielder Rob Giovanelli (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) each finished with a trio of base knocks. Walraven also drove in two runs, while Giovanelli was one of four players who drove in one run.
On the hill, each of the Chargers starters earned the victories as seniors Tim Kennedy (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) and David Palmer (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) each improved to 4-0 on the season. Palmer extended his unblemished ERA an additional six innings, having not allowed an earned run in 28 innings on the season. Overall, he surrendered just two hits while striking out 10 batters. Kennedy gave up four runs, all earned on four hits while striking out a team-best 10 batters, extending his team-lead to 25 strikeouts on the season.
GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS
After walking a pair of batters in the first inning, senior right hander Palmer recovered to strikeout the final two batters of the frame, beginning a stretch of 11-straight batters he would retire, while offensively his squad was able to push their first three runs across in the fourth inning and never looked back.
The three-run fourth inning for New Haven came courtesy of a lead-off walk followed by three singles in the frame with the second of inning off the bat of Walraven which broke the scoreless draw and scored Chamberlain who earned that lead-off free base. Caico and junior first baseman Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) provided the RBI's to score the final two runs of the inning with Caico scoring Giovanelli and Garcia pushing Walraven across.
After stranding a pair of Lightning runners on base in the fifth, the Chargers responded by padding their lead with five more runs in the fifth inning, three of which came courtesy of back-to-back homeruns from Zagaja and Caico. Zagaja's four-bagger was his first of the season and drove in a pair of runs as his hit scored Giovanelli, while Caico's bomb over the right centerfield fence was his team-leading third home run of the season. Giovanelli also drove in a run when his single through the left side allowed Chamberlain to score the second run of the inning.
New Haven added one more run in the game, taking advantage of an error at third base that extended the inning and allowed Caico to score after advancing to third on a wild pitch. Following Palmer's six scoreless innings, the Chargers turned to three pitchers who all threw one inning and successfully defended the shutout. Among the three, lefthander Cam Guarino (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) threw a perfect frame in the seventh with a pair of fly ball outs and a swinging strikeout.
GAME TWO HIGHLIGHTS
New Haven was forced to work from behind in the second game after surrendering four runs to the Lightning in the first inning. A leadoff walk and four hits from Goldey-Beacom led to the early deficit with two of those hits going for doubles.
The Chargers bounced right back in their half of the first when they scored three runs, also taking advantage of a pair of doubles. Chamberlain led off the inning working a walk, which was quickly followed by a double to left center from Giovanelli, leaving him and Chamberlain in scoring position. Walraven picked up the first RBI of the inning when he sacrificed himself to right field allowing both runners to advance. Zagaja followed that initial out with a double down the left field line which allowed Giovanelli to score, while he was rewarded on the next at bat when Caico's single to right allowed Zagaja to score.
Kennedy responded to his team's offense by retiring the next 12 batters he faced in order, which allowed the Chargers to set up the game-tying and go-ahead runs which came in the fourth inning. Caico began the fourth-inning rally with a leadoff double to right center, his second of three hits in the final game. A single through the left side off the bat of Pappas drove in Caico for the first run of the inning, which was the game-tying run, while second baseman Dylon Grzenda (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) knocked in the go ahead run on a sac fly to right. A wild pitch from reliever Jake Heskett allowed an insurance run, which would end up being the game-winning tally.
Goldey-Beacom threatened in the top of the seventh, eventually scoring one run before the Chargers closer Kellen Croce (Cheshire, Conn./Gunnery School) managed to force designated hitter Calvin Clark to strikeout swinging, one of two K's in the inning as Croce picked up his second save of the season.
UP NEXT
New Haven is scheduled to return to action on Tuesday afternoon for a battle of the Chargers when they host Dominican at Vieira Field. First pitch in the non-conference battle is slated for 3:00 p.m.
