WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Interstat) — The Delaware State Hornets held off a ninth-inning rally by the New Haven Chargers to win 8-7 on Sunday afternoon at Charger Gymnasium, snapping a four-game losing streak and splitting the weekend series.

Delaware State improved to 7-39 overall while New Haven fell to 10-31.

The Hornets struck first in the top of the first inning when Rosnell Lewis singled to the pitcher and later stole second. After Carter Boyd struck out, Jabril Bullock was hit by a pitch and Alec Rodriguez walked to load the bases, but Hassan Turner struck out to end the inning with no runs scoring.

New Haven answered emphatically in the bottom of the first. After two quick outs, Jake Russo was hit by a pitch, stole second, and Bobby Herzman walked. Joseph Frazzetta singled to load the bases. Matt McIntire then delivered a bases-clearing single to center field, advanced to second on the throw, and drove in three runs to give the Chargers a 3-0 lead.

The game remained 3-0 until the top of the fourth. Jabril Bullock walked, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alec Rodriguez, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on the same wild pitch to cut the deficit to 3-1. New Haven responded in the bottom of the fourth. Jaylin Manson singled, Aedan Forde singled and advanced to second on the throw, and Michael Christian singled to center field for a two-run single that gave New Haven a 5-1 lead.

Delaware State rallied in the top of the fifth. Caleb King walked, Jaryn Sample lined out, then Rosnell Lewis walked and Santino Harwood walked to load the bases. With a pitching change, Carter Boyd singled to left field for two RBIs, scoring King and Lewis to make it 5-3. The Hornets added four more in the top of the seventh. Lewis singled, Harwood reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to third on a throwing error by second baseman Michael Christian. Boyd walked, then Jabril Bullock doubled down the left-field line, scoring Harwood and Lewis. Alec Rodriguez followed with a sacrifice fly to score Boyd, and Hassan Turner doubled to left-center for an RBI that scored Bullock, giving Delaware State an 8-5 lead.

The Hornets added an insurance run in the top of the eighth when Jaryn Sample was hit by a pitch, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly by Boyd, making it 8-5.

New Haven staged a dramatic comeback in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Nick Ungania walked. Cam McGugan homered to left field, scoring Ungania and cutting the lead to 8-7. James Breen relieved Eddie Del Valle for Delaware State. Jake Russo was hit by a pitch to put the tying run on base, but Bobby Herzman flied out to center and Joseph Frazzetta flied out to right field to end the game.

The most critical moment came in the bottom of the ninth when McGugan’s two-run homer pulled the Chargers within one, but Breen shut the door by retiring the final two batters.

Chase Snavely started for Delaware State and went six innings, allowing five earned runs on no hits with four strikeouts but issued five walks and hit two batters. Eddie Del Valle pitched 2.1 innings of relief, allowing two earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts. James Breen earned the save with 0.2 perfect innings.

For New Haven, Cole Gibson started and threw four innings, allowing one earned run on one hit with four strikeouts. Mason Glickman pitched 2.2 innings in relief, allowing one earned run on one hit with four strikeouts.

Offensively, Delaware State’s Rosnell Lewis went 3 for 4 with a stolen base and two runs scored. Carter Boyd drove in three runs with a sacrifice fly and a single. Jabril Bullock doubled and drove in two. Hassan Turner doubled and drove in one.

For New Haven, Cam McGugan went 2 for 5 with a home run and two RBIs. Matt McIntire had a three-run single. Michael Christian drove in two runs.

The Hornets outhit the Chargers 7-11 but used two sacrifice flies and two sacrifice hits. Delaware State also benefitted from two New Haven errors.

Delaware State had lost the first game of the doubleheader Friday 5-3 before winning the second game 6-4. The Hornets entered Sunday having lost four of their last five. New Haven had won two of its last three.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of New Haven 5, Delaware State 2. Interstat’s ELO system gave New Haven an 81.20 percent probability to win.