The Husson Eagles and Thomas College Terriers split a North Atlantic Conference doubleheader at the cold and sometimes rainy Winkin Complex in Bangor on Saturday.
In the first game, Thomas struck early and often knocking Husson starting pitcher Robert Graff (0-2) out of the game before recording an out. Derek Kane struck for an RBI triple before scoring on a fielders choice and an error on Husson catcher Sam Huston when he dropped the ball when the Eagles tried to cut Kane down at the plate. Brett Sommers, Joe Quinlan, and Hank Vinall then all followed with RBI singles to make it 5-0 Terriers after a half inning.
Julien Boone and Zach Sugar got Husson on the board as Boone had an RBI single and Sugar scored on a fielders choice when Thomas couldn’t complete a double play ball to cut the lead to 5-2.
Nik Beeson and Alex Curtis also had RBI hits and the Terriers were cruising up 8-2 after four and a half innings. Husson wasn’t done though. The Eagles came up with a five spot in the bottom of the fifth highlighted by a two run triple by Cam Archer followed by a two run inside the park homerun from Andrew Curran to make it 8-7.
Husson had chances to tie the game with a runner on second base and one out in both the sixth and seventh inning but couldn’t come up with the timely hit as Thomas held on for the one run victory 8-7.
Graff was charged with five runs and three hits in the loss as the Eagles used five pitchers in the game, three in the first inning. Isiah Fleming (1-0) earned the win for Thomas going 4.2 innings, allowing nine hits, six earned runs, three walks and three strikeouts. Dominic Esposito earned his second save going 2.1 innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, one walk and two strikeouts.
Matt Rutherford from Thomas College delivers a pitch to Husson batter Julien Boone during the second game of a doubleheader at the Winkin Complex Saturday afternoon. Photo by Chris Lessner.
In the second game, Husson pounded out 13 hits and got a complete game from starting pitcher Bell Walls to pick up an 8-1 win.
Thomas got on the board first once again as Michael De Los Santos walked with the bases loaded in the top of the first to make it 1-0. Husson responded right away as JT Whitten and Julien Boone had RBI hits to put the Eagles up 2-1.
Husson padded the lead in the third on a sacrifice fly RBI from Zach Sugar and an RBI double from Sam Huston to make it 4-1. A fielders choice RBI from Cam Archer and a RBI hit from Andrew Curran made it 6-1 in the fifth before Huston knocked in his second and third runs of the day with a sharp single down the left field line to make it 8-1 in the sixth.
Walls (3-1) was terrific on the mound for the Eagles after the first inning struggle. Walls went seven innings, allowing six hits, one earned run, three walks and three strikeouts. Matt Rutherford (2-1) took the loss for Thomas going three innings, allowing eight hits, four earned runs, and one walk.
Both teams are now 7-8 overall on the season. The Terriers are 3-3 in the NAC while Husson is 2-2. Thomas returns to action on Tuesday at home when they play a conference doubleheader with UMaine-Farmington beginning at 2 p.m. Husson will visit St Josephs College on Wednesday for a non conference matchup at 4 p.m.
Game 1
THO 5 1 1 1 0 0 0- 8 13 3
HUS 2 0 0 0 5 0 0- 7 11 4
Left on base- Thomas 12, Husson 10
Game 2
THO 1 0 0 0 0 0 0- 1 6 4
HUS 2 0 2 0 2 2 x- 8 13 0
Left on base- Thomas 9, Husson 9
