CALDWELL, N.J. – The No. 16 University of New Haven baseball team (27-6) completed a sweep of Caldwell University (6-32) on Sunday, defeating the Cougars, 7-3 and 7-0 in non-conference action at the Kiwanis Oval. Senior Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)) led the offense, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and two RBI in the doubleheader.

Along with Caico, sophomore Billy Huber (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) went 3-for-5 at the plate, while graduate student Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush), junior Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford), junior James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) and junior PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) each tallied a pair of hits. Graduate student Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) recorded a team-high four RBI, while Caico, Garcia, Myers, and Contreras each drove in two runs.  Sophomore Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford), Walraven, and Huber all scored three times each.

GAME 1: New Haven 7, Caldwell 3

In the top of the first inning, Caldwell had some control issues on the mound, walking two of its six batters and hitting four others, allowing the Chargers to eventually score four runs in the opening stanza off zero hits. Caldwell rebounded plating two runs with a RBI single in the bottom half of the inning before freshman Izaiya Mestre (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) shut the door with a fly-out to end the inning.

New Haven added a fifth run in the third as Garcia singled home Caico, who doubled to left center field earlier in the inning. Caldwell answered with another run in the bottom of the fourth, but New Haven responded with back-to-back runs in the sixth and seventh innings, as Caldwell could never recover before the Chargers came away with the 7-3 victory in game one.

Mestre (6-1) got the start and tossed 5.0 innings, surrendering only three hits while allowing three earned runs and striking out three. Seniors Tim Kennedy (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) and David Palmer (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip) worked an inning each in relief, as Kennedy struck out two and Palmer struck out one batter.

GAME 2: New Haven 7, Caldwell 0

The Blue and Gold earned its seventh shutout of the year, blanking Caldwell, 7-0, in the nightcap to earn its 27^th win of the season. Caico blasted a double to center field to plate Chamberlain for the game's first run in the top of the first, before Walraven eventually scored on a Zagaja sacrifice fly, as New Haven took an early 2-0 lead over the Cougars. Sophomore Devon Dimascio retired his first six batters before Walraven doubled to left field to add a third run in the third frame.

New Haven put the game out of reach for the Cougars in the top of the fith, scoring four runs on six hits, highlighted by a two-RBI double by Zagaja to send home Walraven and Huber. Freshman George Pappas (Binghamton, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) and Myers added two-straight RBI singles to extend the lead to seven.

DiMascio (3-1) earned the win, pitching 5.0 solid innings without surrendering an earned run, also striking out six.

Up Next:

The Chargers will complete its non-conference slate on Tuesday, April 24 with a single game at Mercy. First pitch at Mercy Field in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. is slated for 3:00 pm. Following that matchup, the Chargers will play a four-game home stand, first against the Southern Connecticut State Owls on April 25 before completing a three-game series with the Saint Rose Golden Knights on Saturday and Sunday April 28 and 29.