WEST HAVEN, Conn. – It was a good old fashioned pitchers duel through the first nine innings at Frank Vieira Field as the No. 7 University of New Haven baseball team scored a 2-1 victory in 11 innings over No. 17 Le Moyne on Saturday afternoon. In the end it was graduate student third baseman Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) who came up with the clutch hit when he drove in designated hitter Rob Giovanelli (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) with a double to left centerfield.
The star of the day for New Haven was senior right handed pitcher David Palmer (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) who threw eight and one-third innings, surrendering just one run on four hits while striking out a season-high nine batters. Earning the victory on the hill was sophomore reliever Brandon LaManna (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) who pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, giving up a pair of hits, while senior Kellen Croce (Cheshire, Conn./Gunnery School) earned his sixth save, pitching a perfect 11th inning, striking out the first and third batters he faced, with the final out coming as a backwards K.
At the plate, the Blue and Gold scattered eight hits over the extra inning affairs, while holding the Dolphins to just six base knocks. Overall, two of the Chargers hits went for extra bases with a double from Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) joining Zagaja's two-bagger. Overall, Zagaja led the Chargers at the plate with three of New Haven's eight total hits, which came in five at bats. Junior second baseman James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) also finished with a multi-hit game, closing out the day 2-for-3. Rounding out the Chargers hits were singles from sophomore centerfielder Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford), graduate shortstop Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) and Garcia.
Both pitchers were in the zone right out of the gates, despite each giving up early singles in the first inning. After a leadoff single to Chamberlain, the Dolphins starter, Josiah Gray, retired the next seven batters he faced before Myers singled through the right side in his first at bat. Gray would end up forcing a pair of double players in the third and fourth to maintain the scoreless draw early on.
Palmer Gave up hits in the first and second inning, stranding both runners on, before his first 1-2-3 inning which came by way of three strikeouts in the third. Those three strikeouts were part of a series where Palmer retired 11 straight before allowing a walk in the sixth. Catcher PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) didn't let that runner last very long as he fired a bullet to second to catch the Dolphin's Brian Cox attempting to swipe second.
That led to a scoreless draw entering the seventh where the Chargers broke that up with a single run, courtesy of an error on what was a double play ball. The Blue and Gold began the frame with back-to-back singles from Walraven and Zagaja before a grounder led to the first two outs being recorded, however, as the Dolphins attempted to catch Walraven off the bag at third, the ball was thrown wild, which allowed the Chargers shortstop to scamper home for the game's opening run.
With that lead, Palmer worked through the seventh and eighth innings unscathed before two Dolphins reached safely with one out in the ninth, which led to LaManna's debut in the game. After forcing the first batter he faced into a foul out at first, LaManna gave up a single through the left side that allowed the runner at second to score, knotting the game at one. The Dolphins would manage to load the bases, before a groundball to third ended the threat and forced the extra frames.
The Chargers would threaten in the top of the tenth, eventually stranding a one-out hit batsman at third. After working through the 10th inning, allowing one hit, the Chargers broke through in the 11th when the leadoff batter, designated hitter Rob Giovanelli (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset), was hit by a pitch. After being sacrificed to second, Zagaja came up clutch, drilling a ball to deep left center that hit off the base of the wall allowing Giovanelli to score easily from second for the 2-1 lead. The Chargers would end that inning leaving the bases loaded, but the single run lead was all Croce needed as he retired all three batters he faced in order, including a pair of strikeouts.
The Chargers are scheduled to return to Vieira Field on Sunday to close out the series against the Dolphins with a doubleheader. First pitch in the opening game of the NE10 divisional battle is now slated for 11:00 p.m. Continue to follow NewHavenChargers.com and @UNHChargers on Twitter for any schedule related updates.
