MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - - New Haven pulled away late in defeating the Wilmington University baseball team, 8-2, on Saturday afternoon on Crosley Field at the Ripken Experience in Myrtle Beach.
The Chargers (2-1) scored three runs in the seventh and tacked on two more in the eighth to win going away. The Wildcats (1-2) only mustered four hits and struck out 15 times at the plate.
Starter Chase Fleming avoided extensive damage in the first inning after the Chargers loaded the bases with only one out. The Chargers scored on a sacrifice fly, but Fleming got out of the jam with only the one run.
Nick Classie brought some life to the bats in the top of the third inning, hitting a leadoff opposite field homer to left to tie the game, 1-1. But New Haven answered right back with the long ball, hitting a two-run shot in the bottom of the third to retake the late, 3-1.
Brandon Grygo started the sixth with a hit and then Cam Trego walked to put the first two batters on. An error brought in a run to cut the deficit to 3-2 and put runners on the corners with only one out. JJ Killen stole second and Josearmando Diaz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. But the Chargers' starter Michael Gatti picked up a strikeout and induced a 4-6-4 inning ending double play to escape the jam.
CJ Nocella was standing on third base with only one out in the top of the seventh, but again the New Haven pitching got out the jam unscathed. Then the Chargers capitalized in the bottom of the seventh, hitting a three-run double into the right field corner to make it a 6-2 game. They would tack on two more in the eighth on a pair of wild pitches to settle the score, 8-2.
Grygo finished with two hits and a run scored while Classie's homer was his first of the season.
The Wildcats wrap up their trip to Myrtle Beach on Sunday with a game against Southern Connecticut State. The game on Griffith Field will begin at 12:00 p.m.
