BOCA RATON, Fla. – The New Haven baseball team opened up the game scoring four runs in the top of the fourth inning and kept scoring often as they went on to improve their overall record to 5-6 on the season with a 15-9 win in game three of the Chargers southern trip in Boca Raton, Fla.
The Chargers 15 runs came on 11 hits with eight different players getting in on the action. Leading the way was freshman third baseman Joseph Frazzetta (Howard Beach, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) who finished with a game-high three hits which came on six at bats, while he drove in one run and scored two. One other player added multiple hits on the day, that being senior shortstop Kenneth Franquiz (Bellmore. N.Y./Mepham) who went 2-for-2 at the plate and was tied for the team lead with a pair of RBI.
Overall, three different players finished with two RBI with sophomore catcher Casey Cerruto (Torrington, Conn./St. Paul Catholic) and graduate first baseman Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) each knocking in a pair of runs, part of 11 total RBI on the day, with five other players all finishing with one. Sophomore center fielder Nick Ungania (Mineola, N.Y./Chaminade) also had a good day at the plate, finishing with four walks in the leadoff spot in the lineup. He also scored two runs.
On the hill, New Haven relied on four different pitchers with reliever Vincent Fusco (Fishkill, N.Y./John Jay East Fishkill) putting up the best numbers which led to his first win of the season. Out of the pen, the freshman southpaw threw four full innings, surrendering four hits and giving up a pair of walks. He did allow a single run, which was unearned, but also struck out a game-high six batters. Sophomore Michael Gatti (East Norwich, N.Y./Oyster Bay) started the game and threw 3.1 innings allowing seven earned runs and striking out four. Junior Matthew Minio (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) and graduate reliever Drew Silverman (Commack, N.Y./Commack) also saw time in relief.
The Blue and Gold opened up the scoring early with the first three batters in the game reaching safely on a walk, a hit batter and a bunt single. After the first out was recorded, Frazzetta came through with an RBI single through the right side. With the bases still loaded, Cerruto would get the credit of the next RBI on a walk and Franquiz came through with a fielder's choice that allowed two runs to score.
After surrendering one run in the bottom of the second, the Chargers added four more runs in the third inning with Franquiz driving in the first run on a single through the left side with the bases loaded. Aidan Forde followed that up sacrificing himself on a flyball to right, while a wild pitch drove in the third run. Budzik then singled up the middle with Franquiz on third to drive in the final run of the inning.
Molloy's bats woke up in the bottom of the fourth inning, knocking the Chargers starter out of the game and tying the contest at eight when all was said and done. However, New Haven wouldn't go away, scoring five runs in the next half inning, again with the first three batters of the inning reaching safely. Budzik, Cerruto, Tyler Wells (Danville, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy) and Shaun Callahan (Newington, Conn./Newington) all picked up an RBI in the inning, with Wells, Callahan and Cerruto's all coming on bases loaded free passes.
Molloy was able to muster one more run in eh fifth inning while the Chargers added their final two runs in the sixth and eighth innings, scoring a single run in each frame. The first in the sixth inning came on a passed ball with Forde scoring from third after leading off the inning with a triple to center field. In the eight, it was another extra base hit that drove in the final run with Cole Maucere (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) picking up the RBI after Budzik was able to reach safely thanks to a Molloy error.
New Haven will continue its five-game southern trip on Tuesday afternoon when they take on the Post Eagles. First pitch from the field at Lynn University is slated for 1:00 p.m.
