On Saturday and Sunday, the Chargers faced Saint Thomas Aquinas College (STAC) after returning from their spring training trip to Boca Raton, Fla., on Wednesday. The team played five games and came out on top in four of them. Coming off their strong showing, the Chargers looked to continue their recent success with the four-game weekend series.
It was a rocky start for New Haven as they dropped both games on Saturday to the Spartans. In the opening game of the series, STAC scored early with a run in the first inning after a double from their left fielder, Sean Lynch that scored right fielder Joseph Scamardella. STAC was able to put up three more runs in the top of the fifth inning, credited again to Lynch, who hit another double and brought in three more runs for the Spartans.
The Chargers chipped away at the lead during the bottom of the fifth inning with a home run from first baseman Matt McIntire. Despite this momentum, STAC’s starting pitcher Andrew Alameda was unphased as he sat down the next three in the Chargers’ lineup. The score remained the same over the next two innings and the opening game of the series ended with a 4-1 victory for the Spartans.
The second game of the series started similarly to the first, with STAC scoring early and putting up two runs in the first inning thanks to a two-run home run from Scamardella. The Chargers answered back in the second with an RBI single from center fielder Shaun Callahan, who brought in catcher Casey Cerruto. The Spartans added to their lead in the fifth inning after Scamardella grounded into a double play that scored third baseman Nick Oelcher, who reached on a walk. STAC scored again in the sixth, resulting in a familiar 4-1 lead against the Chargers. New Haven began a last-minute rally in the bottom of the seventh but was only able to cut the deficit in half as they scored a single run in the last inning of the series.
Day two of the series proved to be more successful for New Haven, despite STAC taking the early lead once again in game one. With another double from Lynch that brought in second baseman C.J. Cumbo and an RBI single from designated hitter Kyle DeCresce, STAC was able to score two in the top of the first inning. Facing a two-run deficit, the Chargers answered back immediately as they cut the lead in half during the bottom of the first. Right fielder Tyler Wells grounded out to second base and scored center fielder Nick Ungania to make it a 2-1 game. The game was tied at two after the third inning when an error on a hard-hit ball from left fielder Owen Pincince brought in Ungania again.
The Chargers took the lead and ran with it in the bottom of the fifth inning. With another RBI from Wells, an RBI triple from Pincince and an RBI single from Callahan, New Haven was now up 5-2 going into the sixth inning. The Chargers extended the lead even farther in the sixth after a single from Ungania drove in third baseman Joseph Frazzetta and shortstop Kenneth Franquiz. The Spartans were unable to answer back as New Haven took game one by a score of 7-2.
For the first time in the four-game series, the Chargers were able to put up the first run of the game thanks to a single from Pincince that scored Ungania. Pincince tallied his second RBI of the game with another single to shortstop in the third inning that brought in Wells. This started a high-scoring inning for the Chargers, as Pincince would score on a wild pitch. Right fielder Cole Maucere and Franquiz were brought home after an error, followed by an RBI fielder’s choice from Ungania that brought in Cerruto. The Chargers held a six-run lead following the third inning. The Spartans were only able to minimize the deficit by one, scoring a single run in the fifth inning. The last game of the series ended with a 6-1 score in favor of the Chargers as they would sweep day two’s doubleheader.
Ungania led the Chargers at the plate over the course of the four games, with four hits across four games, going 4-10 overall with three RBIs and three runs scored. Following behind Ungania was Pincince, who went two for six at the plate with two RBIs. Wells also added a pair of RBIs.
The mound was led by starting pitchers Randy Ramnarace and Timothy Lewis, both earning the win for New Haven. Ramnarace threw five complete innings in the opening game on Sunday and allowed just two earned runs on two hits while striking out six batters. Lewis also went five innings for his second win of the season and surrendered one earned run on two hits and striking out two.
The Chargers are now 8-9 on the season with their first conference game taking place on the road on Wednesday, March 20. New Haven will face cross-town rival Southern Connecticut State University at 3:00 p.m. For more information, visit NewHavenChargers.com.
