New Haven 4, Bridgeport 5 (9 Innings)

In what was largely a battle of pitching, Liam Carroll (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) started on the rubber for the Chargers. The freshman south-paw cruised through the first four innings, allowing only three hits, one walk and a hit batter while striking out four.

The Charger's offense started off slow with their only base runners coming from a walk from Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) in the first inning and a single from Cole Maucere (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) to left field in third.

The offense began to hit up in the top of the fifth inning, following a leadoff double to the right center gap from Andrew Cain (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford). He wouldn't be on base for long as Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) drove the run in on a single to left field before advancing on the throw. Hunter Boag (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) laced a one-out single to right field to give the Charger's a 2-0 lead.

After the Knight's leadoff man struck out swinging, they loaded the bases with three walks. A two-out single would be all Bridgeport needed to tie the game up at two, a piece.

Budzik drew his second walk of the game to leadoff the sixth inning but nothing would come of it. Kyle Allen (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) came in for relief of Carroll and worked a shutout inning despite walking the leadoff man.

The Chargers were held off the scoreboard again after a pair of strikeouts left Bianco, who reached on an error, stranded on second. Cam Guarino (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) took over to start the bottom of the seventh and faced adversity from the start, allowing a single to center field. Aaron Soucy (Brooklyn, Conn./The Pomfret School) was able to throw the runner out at second before Guarino forced a foul out to keep the game tied.

New Haven went down quietly with their only runner coming from a single by Maucere, his second of the game. Gaurino allowed a one-out walk but Soucy successfully caught the runner stealing for a second time. Guarino followed the pickoff with a strikeout to retire the side as they went into the ninth knotted up at two.

Cain started the late inning effort by drawing a walk with one away but it was Bianco, who laced one to the right center gap, that would give the Chargers the lead. After advancing to third on the throw home, Soucy brought home a second run on a sac fly to straight away center. 

Matthew Minio (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) looked to close out the game but the Purple Knights had other plans, leading the inning off with back-to-back singles before the leadoff man advanced to third on an error. Cain took over for Minio after just two batters but he suffered a similar fate as the first man he faced roped a single to right field to cut the deficit to one. A sac bunt would put the runners in scoring position but a wild pitch was responsible for the game-tying run. The Chargers then intentionally walked the next batter but couldn't compete the double play to escape the inning as the game winning run came across.
 

NEXT ON TAP
Now 8-4 on the season, the Chargers will stay on the road as they head to Caldwell on Sunday for a double-header. First-pitch for the first game is scheduled for noon at Kiwanis Oval.