The Chargers hosted the Saint Anselm Hawks on Friday, March 22 for a double header at Frank Vieira Field. New Haven split the series with a 5-4 loss in game one and 6-2 win in game two. Right-handed pitcher pitcher Michael Gatti was the star of the show for the Chargers with 16 of 21 outs recorded via strikeouts as he pitched a complete game and gave up just a single hit and one earned run. He now holds the school record for most strikeouts in a game since at least the 2007 season when statistics were first officially kept for the team.
New Haven took the early lead in game one with a run in the bottom of the first inning. The run was scored by designated hitter Tyler Wells, who scored on a single to left field by right fielder Shaun Callahan. The game quickly became a battle between starting pitchers Liam Carroll and Saint Anselm’s Dallas Vaughan as neither team scored again until the top of the sixth inning. The Hawks took their first lead of the day with two runs in the sixth inning with RBI singles from the Hawks’ designated hitter Ryan Declan and third baseman Daniel Scolaro.
The Chargers answered back in the bottom of the sixth, but only made up for one of the runs as third baseman Joey Frazzetta singled down the right field line to score Callahan. The Chargers then loaded the bases with just one out but were unable to score after two consecutive strikeouts to strand the runners.
The Hawks took back the lead in the eighth inning after right-handed pitcher Jafar Vohra took over for Carroll. Vohra gave up three hits and a walk that resulted in a 5-2 lead for Saint Anselm.
It was the bottom of the ninth when the Chargers started a last-chance comeback. With a two-out walk from Wells and a wild pitch that advanced him to second, left fielder Owen Pincince brought in Wells with a single to left center. Callahan then brought Pincince in with a triple down the right field line. With the tying run on third base, Callahan attempted to steal home but was tagged out by the catcher and ended the game with a 5-4 Saint Anselm win.
In game two, the Chargers once again took an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. Callahan came through for New Haven with a single up the middle on bases loaded that drove in Ungania and first baseman Matt McIntire. After Gatti held the Saint Anselm offense to three scoreless innings, the Chargers added to their lead again in the bottom of the third after a bases loaded walk from Frazzetta brought home McIntire.
The Hawks scored their only two runs of the game in the top of the fourth as Saint Anselm’s catcher Nolan Elmore doubled to left center and drove in shortstop Maverick Bourdeau and first baseman Aidan Dow.
New Haven answered in the bottom of the inning with a double down the right field line from Wells that scored McIntire to take a two-run lead. They added to their lead in the sixth with two more runs on a single up the middle from McIntire that scored catcher Casey Cerruto followed by a wild pitch on bases loaded that brought Ungania around to score. After Gatti retired the next three batters in the top of the seventh, striking out two, the second game of the series ended with a 6-2 victory for the Chargers.
Callahan led the Chargers’ offense for the day with four hits in seven at-bats, four RBIs and one run scored. Wells followed close behind going 3-for-6 with one RBI, three walks and two runs scored. McIntire went 3-for-3 at the plate in the second game with one RBI and three runs scored.
The starting pitchers for New Haven held Saint Anselm’s lineup quiet, with Carroll striking out 10 in game one before Gatti’s 16 in game two. Carroll gave up two runs on five hits while Vohra suffered the loss for New Haven.
With the split, New Haven stands at a 10-10 overall record on the season and 2-1 in Northeast-10 conference play. More information about the upcoming schedule can be found at NewHavenChargers.com.