NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 7 University of New Haven baseball team (25-4, 7-4 NE10) erased a four-run deficit in the top of the ninth inning, plating five runs on four hits in the final stanza to overcome the Southern Connecticut State Owls (16-12, 4-5 NE10) in a Northeast-10 divisional game at the Ballpark at SCSU on Wednesday evening. Junior Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) drove in the game-winning run, as he knocked a bases-loaded single to left field to cement the 6-5 score.
Garcia finished as one of four Chargers who collected two hits on the day, as he went 2-for-3 at the dish with a walk and run scored. Senior Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)), junior PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) and junior James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) all finished with a pair of hits, with Contreras and Myers each tallying an RBI. In all, six different Chargers drove in each of the six runs, as graduate student Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush), graduate student Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) and sophomore Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) all tallied an RBI a piece.
Southern Connecticut held a 5-1 lead in to the final frame, with New Haven's lone run coming in the fourth inning as Contreras plated senior Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)) on a single to left field. In the ninth, New Haven took advantage of a new pitcher, as it was Garcia who led off the inning with a single to center field followed by a double by Contreras. Sophomore Billy Huber (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) loaded the bases with a walk, before Myers cracked a laser single to right center field to plate New Haven's second run of the game.
With Southern Connecticut under pressure, Chamberlain reached on a dropped fly ball by the left fielder in which Contreras scored. The Owls then walked three-straight batters which added two more runs for the Blue and Gold, knotting the score at five. Batting around the order, Garcia stepped back up to the plate with the bases juiced and laced a single to left field, scoring Walraven to take the go-ahead lead.
Sophomore Brandon LaManna (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) entered the game for senior Kellen Croce (Cheshire, Conn./Gunnery School) and earned the save, retiring the side in order with a ground out and two fly-outs to end the game. Croce (2-0) earned the win, pitching 1.0 innings in relief. Senior Tim Kennedy (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) got the start against the Owls for the second time this season, tossing 4.2 innings, striking out one.
New Haven returns to action this weekend for a one vs. two regional match-up against the No. 17 Le Moyne Dolphins, slated to take place at Dick Rockwell Field in Syracuse, N.Y. The two teams will face off for a single game on Saturday at 3:00 pm before settling the series with a double header on Sunday that will begin at 12:00 pm. For fans who are unable to attend, live stats will be available on www.lemoynedolphins.com.
