WEST HAVEN, Conn. (Interstat) — The New Haven Chargers erased a five-run deficit with a six-run outburst in the fourth inning and held off the Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks 11-9 on Saturday afternoon at Charger Gymnasium.

New Haven improved to 11-33 across all competitions, while Maryland-Eastern Shore dropped to 9-38. The Hawks outhit the Chargers 15-10 but could not overcome a rocky start from their pitching staff.

Maryland-Eastern Shore struck early and often against Chargers starter Cole Gibson. Julian Jimenez led off the game with a single and later scored on a two-run single by Jonathan Gonzalez. The Hawks added two more runs in the inning on a run-scoring single by Jonathan Rodriguez and a wild pitch that plated Joshua Caldwell, grabbing a 4-0 lead.

Jimenez homered to center field leading off the second inning, extending the advantage to 5-0. Chargers reliever Myles McDermott entered and settled the game, allowing three earned runs on seven hits over six innings while striking out four.

The Chargers bats awakened in the bottom of the fourth against Hawks starter Richard De Jesus. With the bases loaded and one out, Matt McIntire doubled to right center, clearing the bases with three RBIs. Jake Russo followed with an RBI single, and Bobby Herzman added a two-run single, giving New Haven a 6-5 lead. De Jesus lasted 3.2 innings, surrendering six earned runs despite being charged with no hits in the official line, an unusual statistical anomaly.

Maryland-Eastern Shore regained the lead in the seventh. With two outs, Diego Aponte doubled to left center to score Caldwell, and Rodriguez singled to center to bring home Aponte, putting the Hawks ahead 7-6.

New Haven answered immediately in the bottom half. Herzman delivered an RBI single to tie the game, then stole second while Russo stole home for an 8-7 lead. Aedan Forde walked with the bases loaded to force in a run, and Jaylin Manson’s fielder’s choice scored another, stretching the Chargers advantage to 10-7.

The Hawks refused to quit. In the eighth, Henry Clausell singled to center with two outs, driving in Jimenez and Ansel Carson to cut the deficit to 10-9.

But New Haven tacked on a critical insurance run in the bottom of the eighth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Manson walked, forcing in Cam McGugan with an unearned run to make it 11-9.

Maryland-Eastern Shore threatened in the ninth, putting two runners on with one out, but Julian Jimenez grounded into a game-ending double play.

Jimenez finished 3 for 6 with a home run and an RBI. Jonathan Rodriguez went 4 for 5 with two RBIs. Clausell had two hits and two RBIs.

For New Haven, McIntire went 2 for 6 with three RBIs, including the pivotal double. Herzman was 2 for 5 with three RBIs and two stolen bases. McDermott earned the win in relief, and Mason Glickman pitched two innings of one-run relief to secure the save.

The most important sequence came in the fourth inning, when New Haven sent 11 batters to the plate and turned a 5-0 deficit into a 6-5 lead, completely flipping the momentum and setting the stage for a back-and-forth contest.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of New Haven 4, Maryland-Eastern Shore 1, and its ELO system gave the Chargers an 85.30 percent probability to win.