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University of New Haven Athletics

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Walraven
Steve McLaughlin
2
Adelphi University ADE 26-18-1
3
Winner New Haven UNH-B 35-8
Adelphi University ADE
26-18-1
2
Final
3
New Haven UNH-B
35-8
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Adelphi University ADE 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 8 0
New Haven UNH-B 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 7 0

W: Croce, Kellen (5-0) L: Baram (3-6)

Game Recap: Baseball |

No. 7 Baseball Advances to NE10 Championship Weekend with Dramatic Walk-Off Win Against Adelphi

WEST HAVEN, Conn. – It was a dramatic ending to a Northeast-10 first round game between the No. 7 University of New Haven Chargers (35-8, 16-8 NE10) and the Adelphi Panthers (26-18-1) at Frank Vieira Field on Tuesday afternoon, as the Blue and Gold drew a walk-off walk to secure a crucial victory in the NE10 tournament elimination game. In addition, head coach Chris Celano has earned his 35th win of the season, the most in a single season during his seven-year tenure.
 
New Haven scored the first two runs in the second inning and held that lead for four innings, before Adelphi scored a pair of runs in the top of the seventh with two RBI singles, knotting the game at two runs a piece heading into the final two innings.
 
Sophomore Brandon LaManna (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) pitched himself into a bases loaded jam before head coach Chris Celano elected to bring in senior lefty Kellen Croce (Cheshire, Conn./Gunnery School) in the top of the ninth with one out to pitch against lead-off batter Steven Withers. Withers then roped a 1-1 pitch down the third base line, and graduate student Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) was able to quickly react, make an impressive back-handed play and touch third with his glove before firing all the way across the diamond to double-up the Panthers to send the Chargers to what would be their final at-bats.
 
Graduate student Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) led off the bottom of the ninth with a clutch double, landing a perfectly placed ball down the left field line to put him in scoring position with no outs. Senior Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)) laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Walraven, and the Panthers chose to intentionally walk both Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) and Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford) to load the bases. PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) was the final batter for the Chargers, as the junior looked at a low 3-2 pitch as Walraven crossed the plate and New Haven celebrated the walk-off victory.
 
Sophomore Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) finished the game going 2-for-3 with a walk, and Zagaja also finished 2-for-3 on the day with a run scored. Caico and Walraven each had one hit, and Contreras, junior Dylon Grzenda (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) and junior James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) each had one RBI.
 
With No. 1 NE Southern New Hampshire defeating Bentley, 3-2, the Penmen have earned hosting rights for NE10 Championship weekend. The Chargers have moved on and will meet Southern New Hampshire on Thursday, May 10 with first pitch at 3:00 pm. Live stat and video links will be available in the upcoming days. 
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