(05-03-08)
Box Score - Game One / Box Score - Game Two
WEST HAVEN, Conn. -- Starters Matt Sommo (photo) and Dan Blake had strong outings to lead the University of New Haven baseball team to back-to-back shutouts of Queens College (N.Y.) in an East Coast Conference doubleheader at Frank Vieira Field on Saturday afternoon. In the first game, Sommo struck out 10 and allowed just two hits in eight innings of work to lead the Chargers to a 2-0 win over Knights. Blake continued the day with another strong performance on the mound for UNH throwing a complete game shutout for a 1-0 win in seven innings.
With the doubleheader sweep, UNH improves to 21-23 overall and 16-10 in the ECC, while Queens (N.Y.) is now 11-24-1, 9-16-1.
UNH and Queens will meet in the third and final game of the series, the regular-season finale for both teams, on Sunday afternoon in Flushing.
GAME ONE – UNH 2, Queens (N.Y.) 0
Sommo allowed just two hits and three walks while lasting eight innings to pick up his fifth victory of the season. He struck out 10 and had allowed just one hit and no walks through the first five innings. He gave up two walks in the sixth, but induced a pop up to end the inning, and then gave up the second hit and a walk in the eighth before getting a flyout to center to end that frame.
Freshman closer Mitch Rossi nabbed his sixth save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth inning, getting a pair of groundouts to third and strikeout swinging to end the game.
Offensively, Michael Moras was 2-for-3 at the plate and drove in the first run of the day, while four other players had one hit each for the Chargers. Sean Sciretta and Carlos Suarez logged singles as the only men to hit for Queens.
UNH struck first in the game, getting a run with two outs in the first inning. No. 3 hitter Jimmy Rivas sliced an opposite-field double down the right field line, and came around to score on a single into left field by Moras when the relay throw was cut off in the infield.
UNH squandered a chance in the second inning, leaving the bases loaded after a pair of Queens errors. Kyle Donnelly reached on an error at shortstop. After a fielder's choice and a pop up to the pitcher, UNH got two more on thanks to a walk and an error at second base on a ball hit by Tom Rombilus off the pitcher's leg. But Evan Okon looked a third strike in the next at-bat.
They left two more in the fourth, getting men on second and third with just one out. But a flyout to right and a groundout to first base ended that threat.
In the bottom of the seventh, Okon redeemed himself for the bases loaded strikeout. UNH added an insurance run after Rombilus laid down a bunt single in front of the plate, beating out the throw, and then stole second to put himself in scoring position. Okon responded with an RBI single to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead.
Sommo made the lead hold, forcing Queens to lead two men on in both the sixth and eighth innings to improve to 5-4 this season. Queens starter William Marte fell to 0-7 this year despite allowing just two runs in seven innings of work.
GAME TWO - UNH 1, Queens (N.Y.) 0
Blake held the Knights of Queens College (N.Y.) to one hit over seven innings and faced only 22 batters in the complete game shutout victory. Only in the second inning did any Queens player reach safely as Blake induced 12 ground outs and also collected two strikeouts.
Queens pitcher Brian Friedman kept the Chargers off the board until the bottom of the sixth when UNH was able to push across the only run of the game. Friedman held the Chargers scoreless as he struck out two and UNH left nine on the basepaths.
The Chargers attempted to strike early as Rombilus started the bottom of the first with a single through the left side. Rombilus proceeded to steal second and was then moved to third on an Okon ground out. But the Chargers could not capitalize as Friedman induced a pop out and a ground out to end the threat.
Queens only scoring opportunity came in the second inning after Justin McKay reached on an error and Luis Rojas followed with a single with one out. Blake was able to stop the Knights as he got Noel Gerena to ground into a double play and end the inning.
UNH looked to score in the bottom of the second as they once again had a runner on third with two outs, but could not drive him in leaving the game scoreless.
The Chargers next opportunity came in the fourth as UNH was able to load the bases with two outs. Once again Knight pitcher Friedman was able to escape as he made a nice play on the mound getting Bombace to ground out. In the fifth, the Chargers found themselves again with a runner on third with two outs but a strike out left the game still tied at 0-0 heading into the sixth inning.
Finally, in the bottom of the sixth the Chargers were able to push across the go-ahead run to lead 1-0. With Donnelly at first after a one out single, Cesar Garrido hit into a would be double play but was able to advance to second base after a throwing error on the Knights shortstop. With Garrido on second with two outs designated hitter Nick Sperounis doubled down the right field line scoring Garrido and giving the Chargers the lead. Bombace followed with a single to move Sperounis to third but UNH could not push another run through.
Blake finished off the Knights in the top of the seventh getting the batters one, two, three in order for the fifth inning in a row.
