(03-14-09) LANTANA, Fla. - The University of New Haven baseball team split a pair of games on the first day at the Palm Beach Challenge Saturday. The Chargers defeated Felician College 11-4 in their first game and fell 5-3 in their nightcap to Dowling. The Chargers are now 2-2 on the season.
Game One
The Chargers scored two runs in each of the first three innings, while holding the Golden Falcons scoreless to take a 6-0 lead after three. With four more runs in the top of the fifth, UNH took a commanding 10-0 lead going into the sixth. UNH scored their final run in the top of the sixth inning and the Golden Falcons answered with a pair in the bottom of the inning. Felician added two more runs in the seventh, but were held scoreless in the final two innings as the Chargers took the 11-4 victory.
Evan Okon and Tom Rombilus both went 3-for-6 at the plate for the Chargers. Okon scored three runs and drove in three to lead the team, while Rombilus tallied one RBI and two runs scored. Matt Sommo earned his first win of the season in six and 1/3 innings. Sommo faced 29 batters, threw four strikeouts and gave up no earned runs.
Kyle Pettoruto went 2-for-3 for UNH with two RBI and one run, while Kyle Bombace went 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Bombace also pitched two and 2/3 innings and threw three strikeouts for the Chargers.
Game Two
In New Haven's second game of the day they took on former conference foe, Dowling College. The Chargers were first to get on the board with two runs in the top of the fourth inning. Jimmy Rivas drove in a run and then scored off a Pettorutto single later in the inning to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead. Dowling then took the lead with three runs in the fifth inning. UNH added one in the sixth, tying the game at 3-3. T.J. Phalen retired the side for the Chargers in the bottom of the sixth, but gave up two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Golden Lions held UNH scoreless in the final two innings to take the 5-3 victory.
Rivas went 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI, while Ryan Brockett also went 2-for-4 and added one run. Phalen faced 30 batters, threw four strikeouts and suffered the loss for the Chargers.
New Haven takes on Dominican College tomorrow at 4:15 p.m. in the Palm Beach Challenge.
Box Score - Game One
Box Score - Game Two
