The New Haven baseball team lost a hard-fought second game of the doubleheader against American International College by a score of 5-4. A late comeback by AIC was just enough to get by the Chargers to sweep the doubleheader. Down by three going into the last inning they were able to come all the way back to score four and take the game. Whichever team you’re rooting for.

Tim Woodford would take the ball for New Haven in game two. His outing would end after five great innings, allowing no earned runs and striking out five. Following Woodford, junior Drew Silverman came on in relief, who ended up taking the loss.

AIC was able to scratch a run across in the top of the first inning, starting with a single by shortstop Angel Mendez. Left fielder Michael Cruz followed that with a single of his own, and after a stolen base by Mendez he was able to score on a dropped third strike on Jackson Haker, giving AIC an early 1-0 lead.

New Haven got two quick outs in the bottom of the first when Robert Taylor and Andrew Cain both hit singles to quickly turn the outlook of the inning. First baseman Andrew Bianco was then walked to load the bases, bringing up catcher Josh Lester who hit a two-run double to score Taylor and Cain to give the Chargers a 2-1 lead.

AIC went down quietly in the second, bringing New Haven back up to add another run to the lead. With one out, shortstop Kenneth Franquiz laced a single to center field. He was able to advance on a passed ball. After a fielder’s choice, Franquiz was able to advance to third and scored on another single by Robert Taylor to increase their lead to two.

The middle innings were quiet until the bottom of the fifth when New Haven was able to bring another across another run, capitalizing on a two-out error allowing third baseman Hunter Boag to reach base. Kenneth Franquiz was able to bring him home on a single to right field to make it a 4-1 game.

Going to the top of the sixth, Silverman would come out of the bullpen and fire off a quick top of the sixth inning, getting two quick outs and working around a two-out single by right fielder Dalton Quinn.

New Haven went down quickly in the bottom of the sixth, bringing Silverman back out to try to salvage game two of the doubleheader. Pinch hitter Kiernan Caffrey got the inning started with a single, followed by a one-out single by second baseman Alex Morse. Mendez then doubled to left field, bringing home Caffrey and moving Morse to third to cut the deficit down to two. After a walk to Cruz, everyone would advance on a wild pitch to make it a one-run game.

Catcher Michael Nazzaro then drove a two-RBI single to left field, scoring both Mendez and Cruz to take a late 5-4 lead. Nazzaro was then tagged out on the bases, but the damage was already done as AIC had erased the deficit they faced entering the inning.

Ian Gallagher came out of the bullpen to close the door on New Haven. The inning started off promisingly with a walk to left fielder Dylan Chiaro, who advanced to second after a sacrifice bunt by Boag. Tyler Wells was then intentionally walked to load the bases, bringing Noah Budzik up to the plate. Budzik then grounded out to second to end the game, cutting New Haven’s comeback short.

New Haven with the loss fell to 19-16 (4-11 NE10) and brought AIC to 10-26 (4-13 NE10). The two teams will be right back at it tomorrow for the series finale at Frank Vieira Field at 12 pm.

More information can be found at newhavenchargers.com.