WEST HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 6 University of New Haven baseball team bounced back to close out its three-game NE10 divisional series against the American International Yellow Jackets by sweeping both ends of a doubleheader, taking the first game 5-3 before recording a 9-3 victory in the nightcap.
Leading the Chargers in the twin bill was a trio of players who combined for four hits total on the day; graduate students Tom Walraven (Pine Bush, N.Y./Pine Bush) and Jack Zagaja (Merrick, N.Y./St. Dominic) and junior James Myers (Saint James, N.Y./Smithtown East). Overall, the Chargers scattered 23 hits on the day, four of which went for extra bases, all doubles. Fourteen of 23 total hits came in game two for New Haven, as seven different players finished with at least one base knock.
Among the three leading hitters, Zagaja led the way with a team-best four RBI, all of which came in the second game of the day when he finished 3-of-5 at the plate, with all three of those hits going for two-bases. Walraven also finished the second game with three of his four hits as he knocked in one run on the day. Myers and freshman George Pappas (Binghamton, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley) each knocked in two runs, while PJ Contreras (Hauppauge, N.Y./Hauppauge) (3), Joe Caico (Hopedale, Mass./Worcester (MA)) (2) and Matt Chamberlain (North Branford, Conn./North Branford) (2) all finished with a multi-hit day combined over the two games.
On the hill, sophomore Brandon LaManna (Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown West) and freshman Izaiya