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West Haven, Conn. - The New Haven baseball team wrapped 21 hits, including a key three-run home run by Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park,) in the second game, as the Chargers swept NE10-rival Adelphi by scores of 14-2 and 5-3 Saturday afternoon at Vieira Field to earn their first wins of the 2021 season.

While the offense was scoring 19 runs in the two games, the Chargers pitchers were doing their part. They allowed only five runs on eight hits in their 14 innings of work on the mound. Izaiya Mestre (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) (Pittsfield, MA/Taconic) and Andrew Cain (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) (Seaford, NY/Seaford) produced quality starts picking up wins. Brandon LaManna (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) earned a save in game two for the Chargers.

Game 1 - New Haven 14, Adelphi 2

The Chargers fell behind 1-0 in the top of the first inning but proceeded to score 14 runs over its final four at-bats to cruise to a game one victory. 

The Blue and Gold took the lead for good in the third inning on RBI singles by Billy Huber (Smithtown, N.Y./Hauppauge) (Smithtown, NY/Haupauge) and Bianco to give UNH a 2-1 lead. 

The Chargers blew the game open in the fourth inning, putting a seven-spot on the board. Jack Reardon (Commack. N.Y./Commack) (Commack, NY/Commack), Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) (Cromwell, CT/Cromwell), and Thomas Eletto (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley) (Locust Valley, NY/Locust Valley) all produced RBI singles to give the Chargers a 5-1 lead. Budzik would then come home on a wild pitch to make the score 6-1. Adelphi pitching did not aid their cause as Dylan Chiaro (Southington, Conn./Southington) (Southington, CT/Southington) was hit by a pitch to plate Eletto. Hunter Boag (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) (Colts Neck, NJ/Colts Neck) then walked with the bases loaded to make the score 8-1 when Bianco scored. Josh Lester (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) (Amityville, NY/Copiage) then scored on a balk to cap off the seven-run rally.

The Chargers added four more runs in the fifth inning to make the score 13-1. Eletto singled home Reardon and Budzik scored when Chiaro was hit by a pitch. Boag then plated his second and third RBIs of the game with a single to center field.

UNH added a run in their half of the sixth inning when Budzik scored on a wild pitch.

The beneficiary of the Chargers offensive output was starting pitcher Mestre. The senior righthander scattered five hits over five effective innings to earn the win. He struck out four and only walked one to pick up his first win of the season.

Drew Silverman (Commack, N.Y./Commack) (Commack, NY/Commack) and Devon DiMascia (Mansfield, MA/Xaverian Brothers) each pitched an inning in relief to close out the win.

Game 2 - New Haven 5, Adelphi 3

The Charger bats picked up where they left off scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Reardon and Budzik led off the inning with a pair of singles. Reardon scored on a Huber double, while Budzik was brought home on an Eletto sacrifice fly.

Adelphi got even with a pair of runs in the third inning off Cain. Jack Ryan doubled home a pair of Panthers. However, that would be the only runs Cain would allow as he picked up the win to even his record at 1-1 on the young season. He pitched an effective four innings, allowing only the Ryan double, while striking out two.

The Chargers took the lead for good courtesy of a blast off the bat of Bianco. Reardon and Budzik singled to start the pivotal fourth inning. After Huber struck out and Eletto advanced the runners with a hard ground ball to first base, Bianco delivered a two-out, three-run homer over the left-field fence.

The Panthers pulled within 5-3 when Matt Alifano tripled with two outs and scored on a Gary Costello (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) (Cheshire, CT/UConn Avery Point) wild pitch in the top of the fifth inning. Costello struck out two in his one inning of work.

LaManna would retire all six batters he faced to earn the save with two clean innings to close out the win. He struck out two, including Nick Lopez to end the game.

NEXT ON TAP

Up next, the Chargers will continue the four-game set with Adelphi hosting the Panthers Monday afternoon in a 3:30 p.m. first-pitch at Frank Vieira Field. Live coverage of the series will be available on the Chargers Sports Network on NE10 NOW with live stats available on NewHavenChargers.com.