WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Opening day for the New Haven softball team was highlighted by a walk-off triple followed up by a No-hitter by Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) to sweep the American International College Yellowjackets and beat out the weather for their first two conference wins and open up their home schedule for the 2022 season.
Preview:
After starting their season with 12 straight games on the road and ten of them being in Florida at the NTC Spring Opener the blue and gold returned home sitting at 5-7 on the year, they finally got to play in front of their home crowd ahead of a weekend of back to back conference doubleheaders opening against AIC on Saturday. After meeting the Yellowjackets to wrap up the home regular season for the Chargers in 2021, this weekend series was the 91st and 92nd time all time with the blue and gold holding the series lead 52-38. The blue and gold swept AIC going 4-0 in 2021 and looked to continue their success against the yellow and black in 2022. AIC entered the series 2-8 on a five game losing streak heading into their first conference games of the season.
Game 1:
In the first game in West Haven, Selena Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) entered the circle and dominated from first pitch to last. After a leadoff walk Aponte got the second Yellowjacket batter to pop up before a single and finished the inning off with a strikeout and another pop up. With their first swings at home the bats did their work with two outs. Nahtali Simpson (West Orange, N.J./West Orange) stayed hot advancing to second on an error by the center fielder. Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph) spent no time switching places with Simpson, doubling to the right center gap replacing Simpson and getting the Chargers on the board first and getting the home crowd involved in the game early. Turning it back over to Apontye in the circle it would be quick work for her cruising through the next five innings striking out two batters and allowing only three hits with a strong defensive performance behind her. Down to their last three outs, the Yellowjackets strung together three hits, tying their game total in that inning and sneaking two runs across. Turning to the home half and the Chargers down 1 the rally caps came on with eight, nine top due up for the blue. Ashley Veisz (Robbinsville,N.J./Robbinsville) led the inning off reaching on an error and that was the spark they needed with Hailey Laforte (Milford, Conn./Foran) advancing Veisz to second and one out with Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) and the top of the order up to bat. Case reached first on an infield single, setting up runners on the corners and Hailey Polisano (Howell, N.J./Howell) entering the box. Polisano, looking for her first hit, took the first pitch she saw driving it over the left fielder's head, scoring Veisz from third. Head coach Don Justsus coached third wave Case around from first scoring before continuing her run to Polisano to celebrate the walk-off win.
Game 2:
Following the walk off of Game 1, Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) wanted her own story line for the sweep of the Yellowjackets. After the offense took the story in game 1 Iodice went out and threw a no-hitter in five innings of work dominating in the circle finishing with 6 strikeouts on 58 pitches. Iodice would strike out the side in the first and that set the tempo for the rest of the game, sitting down the Yellowjackets in each of the 5 innings. In the home half of the second the Chargers led off with a single from Jovanna Hillman (Seymour, Conn./Saint Joseph) and would advance to third on an Ashley Veisz (Robbinsville,N.J./Robbinsville) double. Halle Frederick (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) broke the scoreless streak, singling to center scoring Hillman and Veisz to get the scoring going for the second. They would be held to two runs, but after another Iodice perfect inning in the third the offense got going right where they left off in the second. With the top of the order leading off the inning Mya Case (Syracuse, N.Y/West Genessee) got things started singling and that got the train rolling en route to a 8 run inning highlighted by an Ashley Veisz (Robbinsville,N.J./Robbinsville) grand-slam. The blue and gold continued to capitalize on the Yellowjackets errors and find the outfield grass giving Iodice and the team a 10-0 lead. That was more than enough for Iodice who through the rain would finish off the last two innings of work finishing off the NO-NO and getting the sweep of AIC on the day.
The Chargers in their home opener used highlight performances to seal the deal against AIC and secure the opening series sweep to move to 7-7 on the season and 2-0 in the conference. The Chargers now stay at home to complete their opening weekend series with a Sunday double header against conference opponent Assumption College with first pitch at 12 p.m. on the Charger Sports Network.
