WEST HAVEN, Conn. – After a long 19-game road stand to open up the 2023 season, the University of New Haven Softball team returned to Connecticut for Opening day at their home field hosting the Lions of Molloy University for a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader. With strong performances by the freshmen on the road, the new members of the blue and gold got to experience game day in West Haven playing in front of their families, friends, and fellow Charger athletes. After moving the first pitch up to beat out the rain the field was set for the Chargers to open up their home stretch against the Lions. 

Selena Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) got the nod to go in the circle for the Charger's home opener and got the Lions to go three up three down in the first bringing up the bats to take their first game swings on their home field. Kylie Thorpe (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) with one away in the home first singled up the middle to get the first hit of the afternoon for the blue and gold but would be stranded in the inning. In the second, it was the Lions striking first pushing the first run of the game across. After the leadoff batter reached on an error Molloy put the ball in play and ran on the basepaths before scoring on a groundball on the infield. That lead would not last long as after retiring the side, Aponte and the Chargers went back to work in the home second. With a leadoff triple by Aaliyah Amidon (Ledyard, Conn./Ledyard), Olivia Roberto (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun) wasted no time putting the ball into play plating Amidon and picking up her first hit of the afternoon. With Bella Lagattolla (Hudson, Mass./Assabet Valley Regional Tech) pinch-running for Roberto, she would advance to third after Ashley Veisz's (Robbinsville,N.J./Robbinsville) single on the infield and Hailey Polisano (Howell, N.J./Howell) hitting into a fielders choice and reaching first. The pair would be stranded but the Chargers tied the game at one and continued to threaten. That threat was capitalized on in the home third after Aponte struck out a pair in the top half sitting the Lions down in order. Taking a page from the second inning, the Chargers led off with a triple off the bat of Kylie Thorpe (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) before Selena Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) helped herself in the circle singling to right scoring Thorpe and taking the lead. Halle Frederick (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) then doubled advancing Aponte to third with no outs and second and third setting up. After Aaliyah Amidon (Ledyard, Conn./Ledyard) lined out to the pitcher Olivia Roberto (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun) put the ball on the infield in play. Roberto was out at first before Aponte tried to take home but was thrown out ending the inning with New Haven taking the lead into the fourth. Molloy retook the lead in the fourth scoring three runs on three hits taking a 4-2 lead before the sixth where they scored four more on three hits making it 8-2. Heading into the bottom of the seventh trailing by six the Chargers had the top of their order up to bat and made the most of it. Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) led the inning off with a single to center before going first to third on Thorpe's double to the gap. Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) who came on in the sixth to pitch hit for herself and found the game down the first baseline clearing the bases with a double scoring Chenet and Thorpe. Griffin advanced to third on Frederick's ground ball on the infield. Aaliyah Amidon (Ledyard, Conn./Ledyard) wore a pitch setting up first and third with one away before Stephanie Smith (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Catholic) scored Griffin from third to make it a three-run game with still two on and one away. The pair would however be stranded after a pair of strikeouts to end the inning and the comeback for the Chargers as Molloy got the win 8-5. In the loss Selena Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) threw five innings of seven-run, four earned, softball on seven hits with three strikeouts. Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) came on in relief and threw two innings giving up one run on one hit. The offense exploded for five runs on fifteen hits as Kylie Thorpe (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) went 3-4 in the loss. With the offense rolling and knowing what they needed to clean up, the Chargers prepared to take on the Lions in game two looking to split with the Lions on Opening Day.

Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) opened up game two in the circle for the Chargers but it was Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) coming on in relief in the first after the Lions scored four runs off Iodice as she only recorded one out. Griffin came on and got the last two outs of the first as the Lions scored five runs taking the early lead. Down early the Chargers responded chipping away at the lead as Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) led the inning off with a single. After Thorpe flew out, Chenet stole second before advancing to third on Aponte's single up the middle. With the bases loaded after Ashley Veillette (Danielson, Conn./Killingly) walked, Frederick cashed in with a single to left scoring Chenet and reloading the bases for Marzia Johnson (Branford, Conn./Branford). Johnson with a patient and stubborn at bat, battled that ended up earning her a walk scoring New Haven's second run of the inning making it a 5-2 game. Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) cruised through the Lion's offense keeping the score within reach for the offense. In the fourth Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) made it a two-run game, hitting her first collegiate homerun clearing the left-field fence on a line rounding the bases before being mobbed at home and closing the gap on the Lions. Griffin continued to shut the Molloy bats down keeping them at five but the offense could not get the big hit they needed falling in game two 5-3. Griffin, after coming on in the first threw six and two-thirds innings giving up only four hits and no runs while striking out one. The offense combined for three runs on six hits, one being Bella Chenet's (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) solo home run in the fourth.

The Chargers now are off from games on Wednesday but return to the diamond on Thursday after their meeting with the Ravens of Franklin Pierce got moved from Saturday to Thursday due to impending weather. The Chargers and Ravens meet in Conference play where the Chargers are 3-1 and looking to bounce back from the losses to the Lions. First pitch of the doubleheader against the Ravens comes at 2:00 p.m. on the Charger Sports Network and NE10 NOW and all updates, schedules, and post-game recaps for the team will be available at Newhavenchargers.com.