WEST HAVEN – The University of New Haven softball team defeated N.Y.I.T. in a pair of games Thursday afternoon on the UNH campus. The Chargers won the opening game 3-0 and followed that with a 4-3 come-from-behind win in the nightcap. With the wins, the nationally ranked No. 24 Chargers improves to 10-2 on the season, while the Bears fall to 6-8 overall.

Game One
The Chargers opened scoring in Thursday’s opening game. Christina Gelardi opened the game with a walk and ended up being the Chargers first run when Nicole Downs hit a sacrifice fly to right field two batters later. With a 1-0 lead, Breanne Gleason shutdown the Bears offense in the second and third innings, while Downs put the Chargers ahead 2-0 in the bottom of the third inning with a bomb over the center field fence. UNH retired the side in the fourth and sixth innings, while its defense played error-free. Gleason capped the win with three strikeouts in the seventh inning, earning her seventh win of the season.

The senior pitcher finished with 10 strikeouts, while allowing just two hits and earning the complete game shutout. Downs led the offense with two hits and three RBI’s. Chelsea Harold added a hit for the Chargers.

Game Two
In the nightcap, the pitchers and defenses held the game scoreless through two innings. Each team then scored a run in the third inning. In the Chargers’ half of the third, Harold walked to open the inning and eventually scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.

N.Y.I.T. then scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning to put the Bears ahead 3-1. After four batters and three UNH outs, Gleason struck out  the side and brought the game into the bottom of the fifth. The Chargers loaded the bases in the fifth and after one flyout, Amy Nepi hit a high fly ball to center field. The fly ball was dropped by the center fielder and all three runners scored to put the Chargers ahead 4-3, the score which they won by.

On the mound, Gleason earned her second win of the day, while collecting eight more strikeouts. She also recorded a run scored and a hit to lead the UNH offense. Courtney Garland and Alison Vaughn also added hits for UNH.

The Chargers return to action on Saturday, March 27 when they travel to Le Moyne College in their Northeast-10 Conference season opener.