SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The University of New Haven baseball team dropped both games of their Monday doubleheader with the Le Moyne Dolphins. Cain and Wells went yard but it wasn't enough as the squad would suffer a pair of losses, 3-5 and 2-12, respectively.

Game 1 - New Haven 3, Le Moyne 5 (7 Innings)

After starting the road trip by splitting their doubleheader with the Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, the Chargers called on Liam Carroll (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) to begin the day two slate. The freshman southpaw went to work with early run support after New Haven put up three runs to kick off the game. Tyler Wells (Danville, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy) reached scoring position after drawing a leadoff walk and advancing on a sacrifice bunt from Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell). Robert Taylor (Wolcott, Conn./The Gunnery), who tallied five hits on Sunday, drove in the run after finding open grass in the left center gap for a double. The Chargers would tack on another two runs after Andrew Cain (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) hammered a two-run shot to left center field, his second homerun on the year. The senior utility man last homered in the team's 5-4 comeback win over Mercy College on March 11.

Backed by a three run lead, Carroll started off hot, striking out the first two batters he faced. After allowing a walk, the freshman forced a ground out to shortstop to end the inning.

New Haven went down in order in the second inning but Carroll would keep the Dolphins off the scoreboard, despite allowing a one-out double down the right field line. The lefty came back with a foul out to first and then another groundout to short, which came with two runners on after a walk.

The Chargers were held without a base runner for the second straight inning, but this time the Dolphins would cut the deficit as the leadoff man started with a homerun to right field. With one out, Le Moyne continued to threaten with a single and a walk before Carroll recorded the final two outs of the inning with a pair of swinging strikeouts.

With one out, Bianco drew a walk to reach base for New Haven but the junior first baseman was picked off by the pitcher. Following the successful pickoff, Josh Lester (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague), who tallied a three hit game on Sunday, laced a single to left field but nothing would come of it as a fielder's choice retired the side.

Le Moyne started the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff single prior to a walk. A fielder's choice would force the out at second base, however, the runner would reach scoring position after successfully stealing second base. The Dolphins would trim the deficit to one after a run crossed on a groundout to second base.

 The top of the fifth began with two early outs before Wells was plunked by a pitch. The hit batter would not to pass as a strikeout ended the Charger's inning. The bottom of the fifth would prove to be a turning point in the game as the leadoff man for the Dolphins reached on a single which was followed by a walk. A sacrifice bunt would advance both runners into scoring position prior to Gary Costello (Cheshire, Conn./Cheshire) entered the game to relieve Carroll. The senior righty got off to a rough start as the first batter he faced went deep for a three run homer to give the Dolphins the lead. With the damage done, Costello forced a foul out to third base before recording a swinging strikeout.

Once again, the Chargers would reach base on a walk with two outs but the offense was shut down after a groundout retired the side. Costello followed last inning with a 1-2-3 inning which included a strikeout for the third out.

Down to their final three outs of the first game, New Haven would not be able to muster a comeback as the side went down in order. The loss sent the Chargers to a 15-10 record with a 2-5 record in conference play.

Cain, Taylor and Lester were the only Chargers to record a hit in the game with the former recording a homerun. On the mound, Carroll allowed five hits and five walks through 4.1 innings while striking out four. Although it was a homerun, Costello only allowed one hit through 1.2 innings while tallying two punchouts.
 

Game 2 - New Haven 2, Le Moyne 12 (9 Innings)

After suffering a 2-5 loss in game one, the Chargers looked to rebound with Timothy Woodford (Smithtown, N.Y./Happaugue) on the rubber. New Haven would trail early, however, after a one-out solo homerun and an RBI single up the middle, which would plate the runner who reached on a double.

With one out in the top of the second, Bianco roped one into the left center gap for a double. Although he advanced to third on a dropped third strike, the runner would be left stranded after another strikeout retired the side.

Woodford recorded two outs to start the bottom half of the inning, with one coming on swinging strikeout, but the Dolphins would strike again with their second homerun of the game, a solo shot to right field.

Brett Reedy (Enfield, Conn./Enfield) kicked off the third with a leadoff single to left center but a pair of Ks limited the Charger's opportunities. Budzik laced a single to right center to put runners on the corners with one out but a groundout back to the pitcher extinguished the effort.

Woodford settled down in the third inning, recording a 1-2-3 inning. Cain, who homered in game one, began the top of the fourth inning with a double to left field. The senior was doubled up, however, after a fly out to left field.

Despite allowing a leadoff single down the left field line, Woodfood forced a groundout to shortstop for a double play before another groundout retired the side.

The Chargers would cut into the deficit after Wells hit a two-run homerun to straight away center field, his first collegiate homerun. The two-run shot plated Reedy, as well, after he drew a walk to reach base.

Although the leadoff man was hit by a pitch, before eventually reaching third on a steal and a groundout, Woodford kept it within one after forcing a popup to first and a fly out to left field.

Cain reached base after being hit by a pitch to leadoff the top of the sixth. The left fielder stole second before stealing third, as well, on a double steal with Lester, who drew a walk. With one out and two runners in scoring position, the Chargers couldn't deliver the go-ahead knock.

With Woodford off the mound, Le Moyne broke the game open in the bottom half of the sixth as they lead off the inning with back-to-back homeruns. After a single to center was pushed into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt, a third homerun was hit by the Dolphins. Le Moyne tallied their fourth and final homerun of the inning on a two-run shot to right field, plating a runner who reached via walk.

After the Chargers went down in order in the top of the seventh, the Dolphins would tack on another two runs to their lead on a two-run homerun to right field, their fifth of the game, which brought home the lead off man, who reached on a single. Kevin McNiff (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) still managed to record two strikeouts in his outing.

Cain singled with one away to begin the eighth but was doubled up on a grounder to third base to end the side. Matthew Minio (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) took the mound for the bottom of the eighth, striking out the leadoff man before allowing a single to left center. The Dolphins tallied their 12th run of the game on an RBI double to right center with two outs.

Lester kicked off the late comeback effort by drawing a walk but three straight strikeouts secured the win for Le Moyne. The Chargers now fall to 15-11 on the season and 2-6 during conference play.

Cain led the Chargers with two hits, however, it was Wells who delivered the two-run knock in the fifth inning. On the mound, Woodford allowed seven hits and no walks through five innings while striking out one batter. Only three of the runs were credited to Woodford but that was enough for the loss as he currently sits at a 1-3 record.


NEXT UP
The University of New Haven baseball team will head back to Dobbs Ferry for a midweek doubleheader with the Mercy Mavericks. The start time is scheduled for 3:30 PM on Wednesday, April 13 at Mercy Field.