Hartford Sports Roundup: Michee Ngalina nets two goals as Athletic earn 2-0 win

Hartford Athletic 2, Pittsburgh 0

Winger Michee Ngalina scored twice as the Hartford Athletic defeated Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 2-0, on Saturday night. Ngalina scored both goals in the first 20 minutes, striking first in the fifth minute after pulling down a long ball from Triston Hodge, taking two touches and firing it past Riverhounds goalie Jacob Randolph.

The 24-year-old from the Democratic Republic of the Congo scored again in the 16th minute, sliding to tap home a cross from Deshane Beckford. It was Ngalina’s team-leading fifth goal of the season. Hartford held off Pittsburgh the rest of the way to secure its fifth win of the season, one more than they had all of last year. The Athletic (5-1-7, 16 points) moved up to eighth in the USL Eastern Conference standings.

Hartford Yard Goats 1, Akron 0

Father’s Day saw a good, old-fashioned pitcher’s duel as Connor Van Scoyoc went five scoreless innings and the Yard Goats’ bullpen slammed the door in a 1-0 shutout win on Sunday afternoon. Five different Yard Goats relievers combined to hold the Akron RubberDucks scoreless over the final four frames. Bladimir Restituyo drove in the only run of the game with an RBI double in the second inning. The Yard Goats (34-28) remained in first place in the Eastern League Northeast standings.