(03-08-09) WEST HAVEN, Conn. - The University of New Haven baseball team split their season opening doubleheader at Frank Vieira Field Sunday afternoon. UNH took the opening game in 10 innings by a score of 5-4 and fell in the nightcap by a score of 5-1. The Chargers move to 1-1 on the season, while the Spartans now stand at 2-3.
Game One
In the bottom of the tenth inning, Kyle Bombace ripped a hit that just got passed the Spartans second baseman and drove in the Chargers winning run from third. That was the Chargers tenth hit of the game and third run in three innings. Bombace went 2-for-5 in the opening game and drove in that single run. Evan Okon also went 2-for-5 with a RBI and a run scored.
The opening five and a half innings of game one were scoreless. UNH left four runners on base and the Spartans left five runners on base in the first five innings. New Haven opened scoring in the bottom half of the sixth inning off back-to-back multi-base hits from freshman Ryan Brockett and Okon. Brockett opened the inning with a triple and Okon followed that by driving a double to right field. Okon stole third base and gave the Chargers a 2-0 lead when he scored off an Adam Rozum single to right center.
The Spartans got on the board in the top of the eighth with three runs, but the Chargers answered with two in the bottom of the inning. Kyle Donnelly drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Kyle Pettoruto scored on a St. Thomas Aquinas error giving the Chargers a 4-3 lead. The Spartans evened the score in the top of the ninth and the Chargers could not answer in the bottom. The Spartans stranded two on base in the top of the tenth inning before Bombace drove in the winning run.
New Haven's Eric Peck was credited with the win in one inning of work. New Haven's starter Matt Sommo pitched five complete innings, faced 20 batters and threw five strikeouts.
Game Two
The Spartans opened game two by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning. They held the 2-0 lead until the top of the sixth inning when they took a 3-0 lead. UNH scored its only run in the bottom of the sixth when Okon scored off a Rozum single to right center. The Spartans added two in the top of the seventh and the Chargers went 0-for-3 with a walk in the final inning.
The Chargers left seven runners on base in the nightcap and recorded seven hits. Okon went 1-for-2 with the run scored and Rozum went 1-for-3 with the RBI. T.J. Phalen pitched six complete innings for the Chargers and held the Spartans to three earned runs, while throwing six strikeouts.
The Chargers will return to action on Wednesday, March 11 when they travel to Molloy College. Game time is set for 3 p.m.
Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two
