(05-08-09) RINGE, N.H. - The University of New Haven baseball team defeated Northeast-10 Conference Championship host Franklin Pierce, 5-4, on Friday afternoon to advance to the winners' bracket on Saturday. The Chargers will play in the semifinal round at 3:00 p.m. against (2) Assumption College who defeated (8) UMass-Lowell 5-2 Friday evening.
The Ravens started scoring in Friday's game in the bottom of the first inning with one run off one hit and an error. They took a 2-0 lead after a one-run bottom of the third inning, when New Haven walked a run home.
The Chargers were the next to score with an amazing five runs in the top of the fifth inning. The Chargers strung four hits and a walk together to score one run. Jimmy Rivas drove in three of the Chargers runs, including the go-ahead run, off a three-run homerun over the left field fence.
The next three innings went scoreless for both teams. The Chargers then put three up and three down in the top of the ninth, giving the Ravens a three-run deficit to overcome in the bottom half of the inning. Franklin Pierce came one run shy of tying the score in their half of the ninth. They hit a two-run homerun with two outs over the right field fence.
The Chargers pitching staff of T.J. Phalen, Kyle Befus and Mitch Rossi allowed just nine hits and faced forty batters. Phalen pitched six and 1/3 innings, gave up two runs (one earned) and struck out six. Rossi pitched two and 1/3 innings and stuck out 3-of-10 batters. He struck out the Ravens' final batter looking as well.
Tom Rombilus led the Chargers' offense with two hits, one RBI and one run scored. Rivas also scored one run and drove in three off one hit, while freshman Ryan Brockett drove in one and scored one off one hit.
The Chargers will play at 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon against the winner of (2) Assumption College. For live coverage of the game click here.
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