West Haven, C.T- Trailing by four runs in the fifth, the New Haven baseball team battled back to within one run before ultimately falling short in a 7-6 loss to Southern Connecticut State on Friday afternoon, in the first game of a four game series versus their crosstown rival.
Graduate Izaiya Mestre (Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic) started on the mound and went the first five innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking one. First baseman Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) went 2-for-4 with a run scored and graduate Josh Lester (Amityville, N.Y./Copiague) scored a pair of runs.
The Chargers took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, stringing together four hits to start the game. With two on the bases, Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park) would steal third, later scoring on an error by the Southern pitcher, leaving one on the basepath, freshman Owen Pincince (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) would drive in the second run of the afternoon on a line drive to right field. Freshman Shaun Callahan (Newington, Conn./Newington) would follow with a single to right field, to give New Haven a 3-0 lead. Â
Mestre settled in retiring the side in order, until the third inning where a double and an error would clear the bases for the Owls. It would not be until the top of the fifth where the Owls would continue their lead with a grand slam to clear the bases, putting the Owls up 7-3.
The blue and gold grabbed another run, starting off a single from Owen Pincince (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) to the shortstop, being brought in to score on a groundball to left field from Matt McIntire (Williamston, N.J./Williamstown). New Haven's comeback effort would start in the bottom of the seventh and pushing into the bottom of the ninth off a ground out from Matt McIntire (Williamston, N.J./Williamstown) and Kenneth Franquiz (Bellmore. N.Y./Mepham).
Freshman Michael Gatti (East Norwich, N.Y./Oyster Bay) took the mound to start the sixth and threw 64 pitches over four innings. Starting off strong retiring the side for the sixth and seventh innings, Gatti worked himself out of a bases loaded, one out jam picking up a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning and keep the game to two.
The blue and gold tallied ten hits on the day. Three Chargers lead the way for New Haven at the plate, Andrew Bianco (Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park), Matt McIntire (Williamston, N.J./Williamstown), and Owen Pincince (North Haven, Conn./North Haven) each managed two hits.Â
UP NEXT:
The Chargers will continue their four games series against rival Southern Connecticut on Saturday, April 15th. The first pitch is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. and all the action will be available on the Chargers network on NE10 now.
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