COLCHESTER, Vt. – The Chargers surrendered just two runs on the day as they close out a four-game weekend with a sweep of Northeast Division foe Saint Michael's on Sunday afternoon at Doc Jacobs Field. Leading the Blue and Gold on the afternoon was freshman shortstop Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) who finished with a pair of hits and drove in three runs, all of which came in the opening 4-1 victory.
In game two it was seniors Vanessa Strohm (Lititz, Pa./Warwick) and Madison Derosia (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro Union) that drove in the Chargers runs as Strohm led the pair with two hits on the day, while Derosia's was one of four doubles on the day for New Haven. Joining Strohm and Case in leading the Chargers at the plate was senior centerfielder Sierra Whitlock (Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) who also finished with two hits, including one of the doubles.
In the circle, it was the Chargers freshman that picked up the victories on the day with Ava Fitzmaurice (Greenville, N.Y./Greenville) going the distance in the opener and Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) pitching 5.2 shutout innings in game two. Iodice also led the New Haven pitching staff with a career-high eight strikeouts.
The Chargers will return to Southwest Division action on Tuesday when they travel to Pleasantville, N.Y. to take on the Pace Setters. The Chargers and Setters will begin the day by completing their suspended game (3-3, T-9) from this past week before closing out the three-game series. First pitch in the suspended game is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
GAME ONE: New Haven 4, Saint Michael's 1
Case, the rookie shortstop for the Chargers played a role in all four of New Haven's runs, driving in three of them and scoring one in the middle on a wild pitch. Overall, she finished the opening game 2-of-3 at the plate, while Whitlock joined her in leading the team at the dish, also with a pair of hits, hers coming in four at bats while scoring a pair of runs.
The top of the Chargers lineup did the damage in the first inning with Whitlock leading off the game with a double down the right field line, followed quickly by Case who drilled a single up the middle that allowed Whitlock to score from second. Both of those hits came on the first pitch of the at bats as the Chargers took the early 1-0 lead just two pitches into the action.
New Haven added two more runs in the top of the third before surrendering the Purple Knights only run in the bottom half of the third. It would again be the top of the lineup that did the damage, this time with Whitlock leading off the frame on a single through the left side. After she swiped second, the rookie shortstop Case followed with a two-bagger to left field that allowed Whitlock to score from second. Case would eventually score the second run in the inning after advancing on a groundout, she was able to score on a wild pitch out of the hands of Saint Michael's pitcher Sydney Longley.
The Chargers would get back the single run allowed in the third when Case again plated a run, this time in the fifth inning. After a leadoff walk was issued to pinch hitter Jolie Morrell (West Haven, Conn./West Haven), Catherine Vaughn re-entered for her on base and after swiping second was able to advance two more bases on groundouts with the second coming from Case which led to her third RBI of the game.
In the circle, it was the rookie Fitzmaurice who pitched her 13th complete game earning her 12th victory, second most in the NE10. In total, she surrendered a single earned run on six hits and three walks while striking out a pair of batters.
GAME TWO: New Haven 2, Saint Michael's 1
In game two it would be the Purple Knights that would score first, forcing New Haven to work from behind. In what turned into a pitching duel it took just two hits for New Haven to score two runs for the come-from-behind victory over Saint Michael's to complete the sweep.
After the Purple Knights pushed their run across in the second inning, the Chargers would complete the comeback in the fourth inning scoring both runs with two outs in the frame. Melissa Bike (Stratford, Conn./Saint Joseph) opened up the rally working a one-out walk and advanced to second on an infield groundout. Derosia and Strohm followed that with clutch back-to-back hits, a double from Derosia that plated Bike and a single to left from Strohm that rewarded Derosia who scored the go-ahead run.
Earning the victory in the circle was Iodice who came in to relieve the Blue and Gold's starter, Megan Butts (West Chester, Pa./Henderson). Overall, Iodice would pitch 5.2 innings of shutouts ball, surrendering just one hit, walking four and striking out a career-high eight batters.
