WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 15 University of New Haven baseball team (31-6, 13-6 NE10) completed a doubleheader sweep of the Saint Rose Golden Knights (15-19, 8-11 NE10) on Saturday afternoon at Frank Vieira Field, taking game one by a score of 6-3 before walking off in the nightcap, 9-8, in 12 innings. With the pair of wins, New Haven has reached the 30-win milestone this season, the 13th in program history and third under head coach Chris Celano.
Prior to the doubleheader, New Haven honored its nine seniors who have left their mark on the baseball program; Brandon Cruz (Brentwood, N.Y./St. Anthony's), Will Aldam (Danbury, Conn./Berkshire School), Colin Keyes (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull), Kellen Croce (Cheshire, Conn./Gunnery School), Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)), Tim Kennedy (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood), Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic), David Palmer (East Islip, N.Y./East Islip), and Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush).
Eight different Chargers tallied at least one hit, as junior Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) led all teammates with three hits, one of which was his second home run of the season. In all, Garcia finished with two RBI and two runs scored. Walraven, Zagaja, Caico, sophomore Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford), junior James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East), and sophomore Billy Huber (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) each tallied a pair of hits, as Huber was clutch in the bottom of the 12th inning with a game-winning bases loaded RBI single to right field. Zagaja led the Blue and Gold with four RBI, all of which came in game two. Caico was just behind Zagaja with three RBI on the day, and Walraven and Chamberlain led all Chargres with three runs scored.
GAME 1: New Haven 6, Saint Rose 3
After retiring the side in order in the top of the first, New Haven got off to a hot start with the sticks, stunning the Golden Knights with five runs in their first at bats. Walraven, Caico, and Garcia each singled in the inning, highlighted by Caico's two-RBI single to center field to send Walraven and Chamberlain home. Each team went scoreless over the next two innings before Saint Rose answered with one run in the fourth. Senior Tim Kennedy (Ridge, N.Y./Longwood) was excellent through his first three innings on the hill, not allowing a hit during the first three frames.
Neither team had a batter reach base over the next two innings, before New Haven broke through in the eighth as Garcia blasted his second home run of the season over the left-center field fence. The five-run lead did not last for long, however, as Saint Rose added two runs in the top of the ninth with a two-RBI single. Sophomore Brandon LaManna (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) entered the game on the mound and pitched the last two outs, earning his fifth save of the season.
Kennedy closed out his career at Vieira Field with a very impressive performance, working through 7.0 innings, striking out seven Golden Knights while surrendering only one earned run.
GAME 2: New Haven 9, Saint Rose 8 (12 inn.)
New Haven got on board in the first inning for the fourth time in the last five games, as Zagaja laced a two-RBI single to center field to plate Chamberlain and Walraven, who got on base with a single and walk. After Saint Rose was silenced for three innings, the visitors caught on to the New Haven pitching with three runs on six hits in the top of the fourth. After a 4-6-3 double play stopped the bleeding, New Haven responded quickly in their next at bats, plating five runs on two hits to gain a four-run advantage. Zagaja added his second two-RBI hit of the game, a double smacked to left center to once again send Chamberlain and Walraven home.
The back-and-forth affair continued as Saint Rose added three unearned runs in the top of the sixth as the Golden Knights brought the game back within one run and eventually tied the game at seven in the seventh on a fielder's choice. The score stood for the next two frames, forcing extra innings in the nightcap.
Saint Rose took the lead in extras as Tom Moore sent a double down the left field line. After the defense shut any further threat down, sophomore Dylon Grzenda (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) delivered a clutch single that dropped just inside of the left field line and eventually scored on a wild pitch to knot the game back up at eight. Neither team scored in the 11th, and Croce struck out two batters in the top of the 12th to send the Chargers back to the plate.
With the threat of darkness that could have potentially suspended the game, New Haven put its first runner on base as junior PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) was hit by a pitch before Myers singled to right center field. After Chamberlain was walked to load the bases, Huber poked a single to right field to send Contreras home as the Chargers celebrated the walk-off victory.
Croce (3-0) earned the victory in game two, as he pitched the final 1.2 innings in extras with two strikeouts without surrendering a hit. Freshman Izaiya Mestre (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) got the start, tossing 5.2 innings while striking out five. After Keyes pitched 1.1 innings out of the bullpen, Aldam saw 3.1 solid innings on the mound, striking out three without allowing an earned run.
Up Next:
The Chargers will complete its three-game series with the Saint Rose Golden Knights, tomorrow, April 29th with a single game slated for 1:00 pm. For fans who are unable to attend, live stats and video will be available on the Charger Sports Network.
