WEST HAVEN, Conn. – After No. 8 Southern New Hampshire rallied in the ninth inning for a victory in game one, the New Haven baseball team grinded out a big 1-0 win in game two of Sunday's doubleheader at Frank Vieira Field. Freshman Dominic Rutigliano (Franklin Square, N.Y./Carey) fired 6.1 innings of relief in game two, surrendering just two hits to earn his first collegiate win. Sophomore Cam Guarino (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) struck out both batters he faced in the ninth to earn his first save of the season, stranding the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position. Junior Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) walked three times in game one, then went 2-for-3 in game two with two steals and a run scored.
The home and conference opening split moves the Chargers to 7-8 (1-1 NE10) on the season while Southern New Hampshire moves to 15-6 (1-1 NE10).
GAME ONE
Sophomore Izaiya Mestre (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) got the start on the mound in game one and allowed just one run on three hits over 5.1 innings of work. New Haven struck for a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third after James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) led off with a single and later scored on a balk. PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) then drew a bases loaded walk with two outs to force in Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell).
Mestre didn't surrender a hit until the fourth inning and was lifted with two on and one out in the fifth. After one of the inherited runners crossed the plate, Guarino ended the inning with a pop out and groundout, keeping New Haven up 2-1.
New Haven tacked on an insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings to go up 4-1. Billy Huber (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) led off the seventh with a walk, stole second, and later scored on a sac fly to right field by Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford). James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East) then came through with a huge two-out single to left field in the eighth inning to plate Noah Fortuna (Plainview, N.Y./St. Anthony's) and give New Haven a three-run lead entering the ninth.
However, the Penmen staged a huge rally, plating six runs off four hits, two walks and a hit batter to take a 7-4 lead in the top of the ninth, and hung on for the victory.
GAME TWO
Game two was a pitcher's duel from the start, with both teams mustering just one hit through the first six innings. Brandon LaManna (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) got the ball in game two and allowed just one hit and struck out two in his two innings of work. Rutigliano entered to start the third inning and retired the first 13 batters he faced before giving up a single with one out in the seventh.
New Haven was finally able to crack the scoreboard with a run in the bottom of the seventh. Chamberlain grabbed his second hit of the game with a shot up the middle with one out, then stole second. After a fly ball for the second out, Rob Giovanelli (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset) stepped in and grounded one towards the shortstop hole. Giovanelli beat the throw to first for the infield single, but the first baseman was unable to scoop the low throw, which trickled away and allowed Chamberlain to hustle around third and score what proved to be the winning run.
Rutigliano worked around a two-out walk in the eighth, and got the first out in the ninth when Garcia stabbed a line drive with a diving catch on the line behind the first base bag. After a walk and single put the tying and go-ahead runners on base, Guarino entered and picked up a strikeout swinging, then another strikeout looking with two runners in scoring position to lock down the win.
Both teams managed three hits apiece in game two. SNHU's Wesley Tobin went the distance, no earned runs and no walks while striking 12 over eight innings.
The Chargers will return to action this Wednesday, March 27 at 3:30 p.m. when they travel to Pace for a Northeast 10 matchup. New Haven will then return to Vieira Field next Sunday, March 31 for a non-conference doubleheader against Caldwell.
