NEW HAVEN, CONN. - The University of New Haven baseball team finished their regular season with a pair of victories over the Southern Connecticut State Owls on Sunday afternoon. After defeating the Owls 13-4 in game one, the Chargers completed the two-game sweep with an 8-6 victory in game two. 

Game 1 - New Haven 13, Southern Connecticut State 4 (7 Innings)

After the team dropped their lone game against the Owls on Friday, 12-15, the Chargers turned to their ace, Thomas Eletto (Locust Valley, N.Y./Locust Valley), to start the first game of the slate. Although the senior was coming off a win in his last outing, the Owls were the ones to strike first.

Tyler Wells (Danville, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy) leadoff the game on a familiar note, drawing a walk before eventually reaching third on a sacrifice bunt and a balk. With two outs, the early threat was extinguished as the junior outfielder was picked off on the hot corner.

Southern Connecticut was the board first following a leadoff double down the left field line. After stealing third base on the punchout, a groundout to second base was all it took to bring in the run.

The Chargers didn't trail for long as they strung together four hits and a walk to take a 4-1 lead. The inning began with back-to-back singles by Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) and Kenneth Franquiz (Bellmore. N.Y./Mepham) before Hunter Boag (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) drew a walk to load the bases. With two outs, Wells poked a single through the right side to plate two runs while a third run scored on a throwing error. Wells, who reached third on the error, was then driven in on a single to left center by Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell).

Despite being held scoreless in the bottom of the second, Southern Connecticut tacked on a run in the third after back-to-back doubles to left field with two outs.

The Chargers broke the game open in the top of the fifth with a five run inning. Although the inning started with a fly out to right field, the bases became loaded after Budzik drew a walk prior to a pair of singles from Robert Taylor (Wolcott, Conn./The Gunnery) and Andrew Cain (Seaford, N.Y./Seaford). Back-to-back errors allowed for three runs to cross for New Haven before Josh Lester (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) drove in another run on a single to right field. The fifth and final run of the inning scored during a throwing error on a steal from Lester.

The Owls cut the deficit by two after juicing the bases themselves, after a pair of one-out singles and a hit batter. A sacrifice fly to right field plated one run prior to an RBI single to left field.

New Haven tacked on another four runs in the top of the sixth to give them a commanding 13-4 lead. For the second straight inning the Chargers loaded the bases following a leadoff walk from Wells, a single by Budzik and Taylor getting hit by a pitch. Two runs would come across to score on a single back up the middle by Cain before another two runs scored on a pair of sacrifice flies.

Although the bottom of the sixth began with a double to left field, Eletto struck out two of the next three batters to keep Southern Connecticut off the board.

Kevin McNiff (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) relived Eletto in the bottom of the seventh inning, looking to keep the nine run lead in tact. The senior righty quickly forced two groundouts to third base before allowing an infield single to second. The two-out runner would not come to pass as McNiff recorded the final out to give the Chargers the game one victory.

Picking up the win, his seventh of the season, Eletto allowed seven hits and two walks across six innings while striking out three. Wells, Budzik and Cain all recorded two hits in the win while Franquiz led the offense with three RBIs.

With the win, the Chargers rise to 23-19 on the season and 8-14 during conference play.

Game 2 - New Haven 8, Southern Connecticut State 6 (7 Innings)

Looking to continue their hot start, New Haven turned to graduate Timothy Woodford (Smithtown, N.Y./Happaugue) to start the second game of the slate.

Once again, the Owls would strike first after a double down the right field line plated the two spot hitter, who reached on a single up the middle. With a runner on second and only one out, Woodford forced a pair of groundouts to limit the damage.

After a bunt single from Cain to leadoff the second, Bianco crushed a two-run shot to left field. The homerun was his fifth homerun in his last seven games, as well as his tenth of the season.

The Owls regained the lead in the bottom of the second inning after back-to-back singles opened the side. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners which allowed for one run to score on a wild pitch. A second run would come across in the inning on a single through the left side.

Laim Carroll took the mound the begin the third inning but a fielding error, which proceeded a double to left center, put runners in scoring position with no outs. A swift play by Boag at third base turned a lineout into a double play but a runner would later score on a single to right field.

The top of the fourth proved to be a momentum changer for the Chargers. After Bianco drew a five-pitch walk to leadoff the side, two runners would reach scoring position on a double to left center by Franquiz. Aaron Soucy (Brooklyn, Conn./The Pomfret School) and Hunter Boag (Colts Neck, N.J./Colts Neck) both singled to center field to bring in a run, each. Following a sacrifice bunt by Zach Pincince to push both runners into scoring position, Wells hit a sacrifice fly to left field. With two outs, Budzik singled up the middle to plate the fourth run of the inning, his third RBI of the series.

Despite allowing a one-out single to through the right side, Carroll struck out the next two batters to retire the side. 

The Chargers added to the lead in the top of the fifth after Cain led off the inning with a single through the right side. Following a double down the left field line, Franquiz delivered a two-run single to left field to give New Haven a 8-4 advantage.

After two more shutout innings from Carroll, Drew Silverman (Commack, N.Y./Commack) relived the starter to close out the game. In a none save situation, the Owls were able to get within two but the Chargers prevailed. 

While Woodford was credited with the win, Carroll allowed three hits and one walk across four innings while striking out a pair. Cain led the offense with three hits while Bianco and Franquiz had two RBIs, each.

With the win, New Haven completes the doubleheader sweep and will finish the regular season with a 24-19 record on the season and 9-14 record in conference play. The Charger's season, however, will end there as they miss out on postseason play.