On Wednesday, the New Haven softball team faced off against Post University for a non-conference doubleheader as they played the final two games of their six-game homestand. After splitting a doubleheader against Southern New Hampshire University, the Chargers were back on their home field as they looked to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
New Haven dominated the Eagles in the doubleheader as they outscored them 12-1 combined in the two games with 9-1 and 3-0 respective wins. The sweep brought their win streak to three games as their record on the season moved to 7-25 (3-10 NE-10).
Right-handed pitcher Breanna Kinney started game one for the Chargers as she kept Post’s lineup quiet with four strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits and added five strikeouts. She worked around a baserunner in each of the first two innings and picked up three strikeouts in the two frames to keep Post off the board.
Catcher Halle Frederick collected New Haven’s second hit of the game with a one-out single in the bottom of the second inning. After a walk from third baseman Ashley Veisz and a fielder’s choice in which everyone was safe, the Chargers had a prime opportunity to strike first and take the lead early.
Center fielder Bella Chenet took advantage as she cleared the bases with a three-run triple into right-center field to give New Haven a 3-0 lead in the second.
Post answered back in the top of the third as they cut the deficit to two with a single from designated hitter Julianna Cicala that scored left fielder Samantha Riccardulli. The bases remained loaded as the Eagles had an opportunity to tie the game, but Kinney ended the threat with a strikeout of shortstop Julia Maida to keep it a 3-1 game.
New Haven broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with a huge six-run inning that made it a 9-1 game. Veisz led off the inning with a single down the left-field line before getting thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice. Chenet followed with an infield single that put runners on first and second with just one out before right fielder Olivia Roberto worked a walk to load the bases.
After an infield fly marked the second out of the inning, shortstop Lauren Haversat lined a two-run single up the middle that scored Chenet and left fielder Stephanie Smith. First baseman Meg Anderson kept the line moving with a single and advanced to second on the throw to put two runners in scoring position. Second baseman Kylie Thorpe brought Haversat and Anderson around to score with a double that stretched the lead to seven before scoring on another single from Frederick for the sixth run of the inning.
Right-handed pitcher Marzia Johnson came on in relief in the top of the fifth as the Chargers looked to seal game one with a big win. After allowing a walk to start the inning, she induced weak contact to cut down the lead runner at second on a fielder’s choice before an unassisted double play from Anderson ended the game with New Haven taking it by a score of 9-1.
Right-handed pitcher Skylar Griffin got the ball for the Chargers in game two. She dominated the Eagles lineup as she threw a complete game, allowing no runs on five hits, three walks and one strikeout.
Chenet continued her strong day at the plate with a leadoff triple in the bottom of the first and scored on a single from right fielder Lucia Ceccarelli to take a 1-0 lead just two batters into the game.
The Chargers added another run in the second to double their lead as catcher Brianna Trueman led off the inning with a single to right that allowed her to get to third after the ball got by Allysa Calabrese. Trueman scored on a run-scoring groundout from designated hitter Corina Wilton.
Griffin worked around two hits and a walk in the top of the third to strand three runners on base and keep the shutout intact.
New Haven held on to their two-run lead until they added a huge insurance run in the bottom of the fifth as Chenet put the finishing touches on game two with a solo home run.
Griffin shut down the Eagles in the final two innings as the Chargers held on to sweep their first doubleheader of the season with a 3-0 win.
On Friday, New Haven traveled to Pleasantville, N.Y. on the heels of their season-high three-game winning streak to face the second-ranked team in the Northeast-10, the Pace Setters. The Chargers were blanked across the two games as they were outscored 10-0 across the two games with 2-0 and 8-0 losses that pushed their record on the season to 7-27 (3-12 NE-10).
With just six games remaining in the regular season, New Haven will face off against NE-10 opponents Adelphi University, Saint Michael’s College and Franklin Pierce University to end the 2024 season. More information about the team can be found at NewHavenChargers.com.
