WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The New Haven baseball team used a run in the eighth inning to battle back against No. 11 Adelphi in a game that ended in a 5-5 tie after being called due to darkness after 12 innings. Freshman shortstop Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) went 2-for-5 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored, and outfielder Dylan Chiaro (Southington, Conn./Southington) also had two hits with a walk and a run scored. Junior Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) had a hit and a walk, while scoring a run and picking up one RBI. On the mound, Izaiya Mestre (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) started and pitched the first five innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on four hits while striking out five. Junior Devon DiMascio (Mansfield, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) fired six innings of relief, surrendering two earned runs and one walk, while scattering eight hits and striking out two.
The Chargers (11-22-1, 5-13-1 NE10) staked an early 4-0 lead after two innings before Adelphi (31-5-1, 18-1-1 NE10) chipped away for five unanswered runs, taking the lead for the first time with two runs in the top of the eighth, only to see New Haven push across a run to retie the game in the bottom of the eighth.
The result is New Haven's eighth tie in program history and its first since a 2-2 draw against American International in 2012.
New Haven jumped on top right away with a run in the first when Budzik led off with a full count walk, went to second on a sac bunt, and later scored on a ground ball by Chamberlain for the early 1-0 lead.
The Chargers surged for three more runs in the second, starting with three consecutive singles with one out by George Pappas (Binghamton, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley), Hunter Boag (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) and Chiaro. Pappas would come home to score on a passed ball to make it 2-0, then two batters later, Budzik lined a shot into left center field to plate Chiaro and Boag to give New Haven the early 4-0 edge.
The Panthers answered quickly to cut the lead in half with a pair of runs in the top of the third. After the first four hitters reached base to start the frame, including a run-scoring single, a second run came in to score (unearned) on a hit to center field, but Chamberlain came up and fired a strike to the plate to nail a second runner attempting to score to end the inning, keeping it a 4-2 game.
Mestre did not give up another hit over his final two innings of work, retiring six of the last seven hitters he faced. DiMascio entered the game in the sixth inning, and gave up one run in the seventh off a pair of hits as the Panthers got within one. Adelphi then scored twice in the top of the eighth, using a sac fly to score an unearned run to tie the score 4-4, then took the lead on a double to left center field. Boag kept the deficit at one by throwing a runner out at the plate following a hit for the second out of the eighth.
New Haven refused to go down without a fight, tying the game in the bottom of the eighth when Chamberlain led off by hustling out a double down the right field line. After moving to third on a sac bunt by Andrew Garcia (Medford, N.Y./Patchogue Medford), Chamberlain raced home on a wild pitch to retie the score and eventually force extra innings.
Adelphi put two runners aboard with one out in the ninth, but DiMascio made a huge pitch to get a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat, then retired the side in order in the 10th and 11th. New Haven put a man on in each of the extra frames, but was unable to advance any runners past first base.
New Haven will play its final home game of the 2019 season on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. when they host crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State.
