NEW HAVEN, Conn. – You can't always choose when your first collegiate home run will come but sophomore Aidan Forde couldn't have scripted it any better as he drilled a one-out pitch over the outfield fence to break a 3-3 stalemate in the 10th inning. That run proved to be enough as the Chargers picked up the 4-3 extra inning win over crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State University and take the season series. With the win, New Haven improves to 18-17 on the season and 10-7 in the Northeat-10 Conference.
Forde's home run came on his only at bat of the day as he entered the game in relief of shortstop Kenneth Franquiz (Bellmore. N.Y./Mepham) to pick up the game-winning hit. Leading the way at the plate was center fielder Nick Ungania (Mineola, N.Y./Chaminade) who closed out the day 3-of-5 at the plate with a run scored. Overall, his three hits were part of 10 total for the Blue and Gold.
In addition to Forde, first baseman Matt McIntire (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) also had a long ball on the day, his driving in two runs and knotting the game at two in the fourth inning. With Southern taking a one run lead in the sixth, New Haven retied the score in the seventh thanks to a Cole Maucere (West Babylon, N.Y./West Babylon) RBI single which came on a pinch hit opportunity.
Tyler Wells (Danville, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy), Owen Pincince (North Haven, Conn./North Haven), Shaun Callahan (Newington, Conn./Newington) and Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell) all rounded out the Chargers at the plate with one hit apiece.
On the hill, it was the relief work from Matthew Minio (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) that paid off as the junior righty came out of the pen to earn the victory. The Massapequa, N.Y. native threw 3.2 innings out of the pen without surrendering a run. He gave up two hits and struck out a pair.
Graduate pitcher Drew Silverman (Commack, N.Y./Commack) took the start on the day and threw the longest outing of his career at 5.2 innings. Overall, he gave up three runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk while striking out six. Timothy Lewis (Southwest Harbor, Maine/Wilmington) also saw time out of the bullpen, throwing 0.2 innings, facing just two batters.
The Chargers will return to their West Haven home for the next four games, a pair of cross divisional NE10 doubleheaders. First up will be a Saturday, April 20, afternoon double dip against the Assumption Greyhounds, with first pitch set for 12:00 p.m.
