WEST HAVEN, CONN. - The University of New Haven baseball team ended their weekend series against the American International Yellow Jackets with a walkoff win in the bottom of the ninth inning. Taylor scored the game-winning run for the Chargers after Bianco reached on an error.

AIC 6, New Haven 7 (9 Innings)
After dropping both games of their doubleheader with AIC on Saturday, the Chargers turned to two-way player Andrew Cain (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford), who started on the mound and batted in the DH spot, to get the Chargers back in the win column.

However, it was the Yellow Jackets who would strike first as a run scored on a two-out single to center field following a successful steal to get into scoring position. The Chargers answered in the bottom of the first after Tyler Wells (Danville, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy) drew a walk in the leadoff spot, his 32nd walk of the season. Wells stole second and third base before eventually reaching home on a throwing error by the catcher. Andrew Cain (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford) followed suit, stealing second and third base after poking a single through the right side, but he would be stranded on a groundout.

Although he didn't reach home, Cain returned to the mound for the second inning, where he made quick work of the the Yellow Jackets. On 15 pitches, Cain struck out the side, two of which went down swinging.

Three straight fly outs sent the Chargers down in order before American International regained the lead in the top of the third. A leadoff walk quickly reached third after successfully stealing second and advancing on a groundout. With one out, a sacrifice fly was all that was needed to bring the run in.

Despite that, New Haven remained unfazed, answering with a run of their own. Kenneth Franquiz (Bellmore. N.Y./Mepham) led off the side with a single to left field before stealing second and advancing to third on a single from Wells. While Wells was caught stealing at second, Franquiz would score the tying run on the throw down.

With Cam Guarino (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) relieving Cain on the mound, the Yellow Jackets soon loaded the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a hit batter. Looking to limit the damage, Guarino only yielded two runs after forcing two groundouts to the middle infield. Still with a runner in scoring position, Guarino recorded a third straight groundout to escape the jam.

New Haven began to threaten in the bottom of the fourth after Josh Lester (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) and Hunter Boag (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) reached on singles with two outs but a strikeout retired the side before the Chargers could strike.

Guarino came back in the fifth with a 1-2-3 inning, including a swift snag by the southpaw for the second out. Franquiz and Wells reached on back-to-back singles to lead off the side but no runs would come across despite Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) laying down a sacrifice bunt to push them into scoring position.

The southpaw escaped another jam in the sixth inning by striking out the final two batters after a one-out single reached third on steal and an error.

Lester kicked off the Charger's side of the inning with a single down the left field line but New Haven loaded the bases, soon after, with a walk from Boag and a fielder's choice by Zack Pincince (Woonsocket, R.I./North Haven (Conn.)). Franquiz took the second pitch he saw to deep left center field for a bases clearing double with one-out.

Despite allowing a pair of runners in scoring position, Matthew Minio (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) kept the Yellow Jackets off the boards by forcing a groundout to shortstop.

After reaching third on a failed pickoff attempt following a walk, Cain would score the insurance run for the Chargers after Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) singled up the middle.

The Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to one run in the eighth after the leadoff man, who singled through the right side, scored on a groundout to shortstop with one away.

In his first career start, Pincince led off the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle but was caught on an attempted steal.

Thomas Eletto (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley) was called on to secure the victory for the Chargers, heading into the ninth inning with a one-run lead. The leadoff man for AIC would draw a walk, however, before quickly making his to third on a sacrifice bunt and a steal. Despite allowing a single through the left side, Eletto struck out two batters to keep the game tied.

Although Budzik singled through the left side to begin the bottom of the ninth, he would be replaced on the bases with Taylor, who beat out a fielder's choice that would nab Budzik at second. A groundout to the middle infield advanced Taylor to third but the game-winning run would score in part to a fielding error on a ball hit by Bianco.

Franquiz led the offense with three runs batted in on a three-hit performance while Wells reached base three times in the winning effort. Wells finished the series 10-13 with eight runs and five RBIs.


NEXT UP
The University of New Haven baseball team will play again next weekend against the Saint Rose Golden Knights in a four game series. The series will feature a pair of doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday with both days set to start at noon at Frank Vieira Field.