WATERBURY, Conn. – Coming off their split with their cross-town rivals, the University of New Haven Softball team kicked off their six-game week with a road trip up I-95 to take on the Eagles of Post University in a non-conference Monday doubleheader. After the morning was overcast and there was light rainfall, come first pitch the sun peaked out and the Selena Aponte (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) took the circle for the Chargers in game 1.

Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) led the game off with a single but would later be called out after leaving the bag early just before the inning would end. The Eagles responded with a single in the bottom half as Aponte would pick up her first strikeout of the game. The Eagles struck first in the third inning scoring a pair of runs off four hits off Aponte after a double led the inning off. That was not the last as the Eagles plated three more runs two innings later taking a 5-0 lead in the home fourth off three hits in the inning including a home run by the Eagles. The blue and gold cut into the lead in the fifth. Ashley Veisz (Robbinsville,N.J./Robbinsville) led the inning off by reaching first after being hit by a pitch. Veisz advanced to second after Hailey Polisano (Howell, N.J./Howell) singled to right field setting up two for the Chargers setting up their best opportunity of the game. After a flyout, Olivia Roberto (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun) continued to come up with clutch hits and found the green in center field scoring Veisz and advancing Polisano to third. Maeve Lougheed (Audobon, N.J./Audobon) kept things rolling singling to second scoring Polisano from third scoring the Charger's second run and cutting the deficit to three. The blue and gold went back to work in the sixth after Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) got three out in the home fifth striking out one. After Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) got it done in the circle, she then got it done in the box reaching on a fielder's choice. Griffin would then advance to third when Ashley Veisz (Robbinsville,N.J./Robbinsville) doubled putting two on in scoring position for New Haven. Hailey Laforte (Milford, Conn./Foran) got an opportunity to pinch hit and popped out deep enough to right field to give Griffin enough time to tag and score closing the game to 5-3 in the sixth. Post then added a third run of insurance in the sixth scoring their sixth run and making it 6-3. That score would hold on to win it for the Eagles in game one. Aponte in the loss, threw four innings, giving up five runs on eight hits striking out three in the performance. The bats of the Chargers combined for three runs on eight hits from eight different Chargers.

With the loss, Don Justus and the Chargers looked to Mia Iodice (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth Regional) to even the series in game two looking to split the series. Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) led the game off with a ground-rule double that would be then be followed up by Kylie Thorpe (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) wearing a pitch to set up two on and no outs in the first. Olivia Roberto (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun) flew out to right advancing Chenet who tagged and advanced on the play. Thorpe then stole second to keep the pressure on the Eagles. Halle Frederick (Green Lane, Pa./Quakertown) then flew out to deep center field, allowing Chenet to tag and score, giving New Haven the 1-0 lead. Post trailed until the third inning when they would tie things back up at one, off two hits in the third. The Eagles then plated two more in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. That lead would not last as New Haven responded by plating four runs in the fifth. After Allison Murai (Sammamish, Wash./Skyline) reached on an error to lead the inning off, Stephanie Smith (Rockaway, N.J./Morris Catholic) had a pinch-hit single advancing Murai to second. With the top of the order up, Bella Chenet (Plantation, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy) capitalized on the opportunity scoring both Murai and Smith on a single to left, before advancing to second on the play. With Chenets speed she would come around to score after Olivia Roberto (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun) singled to center giving the Chargers the lead again. Hailey Laforte (Milford, Conn./Foran) then doubled down the line in right to score Sophia Piccirilli (Dover, N.H./Winnacunnet) who was pinch-running for Olivia Roberto (Merrick, N.Y./Calhoun). After a pitching change for the Chargers bringing in Skylar Griffin (Berlin, Md./Stephen Decatur) for the second time in the series, the Eagles scored two in the home seventh to force extra innings after tying the game at five. In the eighth, the Eagles walked it off on a flyout taking game two 6-5. Griffin who took the loss in the circle threw three and two-thirds giving up three runs, two earned, on four hits striking out one. New Havens bats combined for five runs on nine hits from seven different players.               

The Chargers now return home, looking to bounce back from the losses to the Eagles as the Chargers take on the Setters of Pace University in a midweek conference doubleheader on Wednesday, April 19th. The first pitch is scheduled from Charger Softball Field in West Haven. First pitch of the doubleheader against the Setters comes at 3:00 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.