WEST HAVEN, Conn. – Sophomore centerfielder Nick Ungania (Mineola, N.Y./Chaminade) came up clutch in the bottom of the 10th when he drove in the game-winning run on a single to left center as the New Haven baseball team took the opening game from American International 3-2. With the win, New Haven improves to 22-22 on the season and 14-11 in the Northeast-10.
The Chargers and Yellow Jackets will conclude the regular season on Saturday afternoon with a pair of nine-inning games slated for a 12:00 p.m. first pitch. Prior to the game, New Haven will honor its four-member senior class consisting of Tyler Wells (Danville, Vt./St. Johnsbury Academy), Nicholas Campagnuolo (Westbury, N.Y./W.T. Clarke), Kyle Allen (Middle Island, N.Y./Longwood) and Noah Budzik (Cromwell, Conn./Cromwell). Senior day festivities will get underway at 11:40 a.m.
In addition to Ungania, Campagnuolo opened up his senior weekend scoring that game-winning run after entering as a pinch runner at second base. On the first pitch the senior outfielder saw, he took third with the ball in the dirt and getting away from the Yellow Jackets catcher, only to score on the very next pitch when Ungania lifted his ball out of reach of the short stop.
Ungania closed out his day with a team-high three hits, coming on five at bats with the 10th inning RBI his only of the day, while he also scored one run. Two additional players finished with a multi-hit outing as right fielder Shaun Callahan (Newington, Conn./Newington) and third baseman Joseph Frazzetta (Howard Beach, N.Y./Archbishop Molloy) each finished with a pair of knocks. Matt McIntire (Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown) and Wells rounded out the Chargers who finished with nine total hits, compared to six for AIC.
On the hill, starter Michael Gatti (East Norwich, N.Y./Oyster Bay) had a quality outing in the no-decision, pitching seven strong innings. Overall, he allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out four. Liam Carroll (Massapequa Park, N.Y./Massapequa) came out of the pen to throw two innings while Matthew Minio (Massapequa, N.Y./Massapequa) thew the 10th inning and earned the victory, his second of the season. Neither Carroll or Minio would surrender a hit, while the pair combined for four addition K's, as the Chargers closed out the game with eight.
