WEST HAVEN, Conn. – A Yellow Jacket home run in the top of the first inning held up for the remainder of the game as the No. 6 University of New Haven baseball team was blanked by American International, 2-0, at Vieira Field in a Northeast-10 divisional game on Friday afternoon.
 
The Chargers tallied six total hits, with sophomore Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) batting 2-for-4 at the dish and graduate students Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) and Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) as well as freshman George Pappas (Binghamton, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) all had one hit.

Despite surrendering his first two earned runs of the season and only his second loss of his career, senior David Palmer (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) pitched for well the remainder of the day, tossing his first complete-game of the season while striking out six batters. American International's Matt Costanza earned the win for the Yellow Jackets, also throwing the complete-game with six strikeouts.
 
After Anthony Clark hit a two-run home run to right field in the top of the first inning, New Haven struggled to get the bats going as the first nine Chargers were retired in order. Palmer pitched his second 1-2-3 inning in the top of the fourth before New Haven had one of its best chances to score in the bottom half of the inning, leaving three runners stranded to end the threat.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Pappas, a pinch hitter, clocked a lead-off double down the left field line before Chamberlain followed that up with his own two-bagger to right field, however a costly base-running mistake allowed American International to double-up the Chargers to end the inning, leaving Pappas on third base.
 
New Haven closes out the three-game series with American International tomorrow, Saturday March 31 for a doubleheader at Frank Vieira Field. First pitch is slated for 12:00 pm.