The Husson University baseball team began their regular season in Florida on Saturday. Despite four losses, the Eagles were able to garner an exciting win Sunday for their first victory of 2019.
The new season started Saturday in Auburndale, FL with a pair of games against Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). The Eagles were swarmed by the Engineers to the tune of 8-0 and 22-0 losses. Conor McGuire had two hits in game one for Husson, as a six run third broke things open. Jesse Colford (0-1) allowed seven runs on eight hits in 2.2 innings in the loss on the hill. David Larson (2-0) allowed four hits over 6.0 innings with 10 strikeouts for WPI, while doing it with the bat as well with two hits and two RBI. In game two, the Engineers built an 8-0 lead after three innings and then exploded for nine more in the seventh to cruise to the win to go to 8-1 on the season. Freshman and former Brewer High standout Kobe Rogerson had the lone Eagles hit in the game. Ryan Tropeano had two hits and three RBI, Tyone Patterson had three hits and two RBI, and five other players had at least two hits for the Engineers who racked up 23 hits in the win. Cam Graham (0-1) took the loss on the mound for Husson, allowed eight runs on nine hits in 3.0 innings. Tyler Weiss (2-0) got the win with a second straight great pitching performace on the day for WPI, allowing just one hit and had 10 strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
Sunday in Auburndale, Husson rallied from a 6-1 deficit after six innings to walk-off for their first win 7-6 over Keene State. Nolan Brown hit an RBI triple and scored on a wild pitch to start a rally in the seventh to cut it to 6-3. David Leblanc reached on an error scoring Rogerson and Ethan Stoddard hit an RBI sacrifice fly to make it 6-5. Brown hit an RBI single in the eighth to tie it 6-6. The Eagles won it on a Michael Schneider RBI single in the bottom of the ninth scoring McGuire. Brown had two hits and three RBI to lead the Eagles, while Stoddard, Schneider, Luke Covey, and Nick Guerrette all had two hits each. Austin Smith started on the hill for Husson, getting a no decision allowing six runs (three earned), nine hits, three walks, and a strikeout in 6.0 innings. Nolan Dousa (1-0) got the win with a perfect top of the ninth. Sam Czel and Connor Walsh had two RBI each for the 1-2 Owls, while Shawn O’Donnell (0-1) allowed the game winner in the ninth to take the loss.
Monday Husson lost a pair to the Central (Iowa) Dutch in Leesburg, FL by 3-0 and 5-3 scores. Despite three hits from Leblanc and a pair from McGuire, the Eagles couldn’t push any runs across in game one. Jon Roozeboom and Ryan Bouwman had RBI hits for Central, while both Tanner Wood and Kaiden Fiebelkorn had two hits a piece. Ryan Allender (0-1) pitched strong in the loss for the Eagles, allowing one earned run, seven hits, with two walks, and seven strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Nick Long (1-0) went 6.0 innings, and Ryan Riddle picked up his first save for the Dutch. In game two, Central broke out to a 5-0 lead after five innings and picked up the doubleheader sweep. Covey hit a two run double, and Ethan Shepard had an RBI single for all the Husson (1-4) runs in the sixth. Covey had a pair of hits to pace the Eagles, while Garrett Saunders had three hits and three knocked in for the Dutch. Matt Smith (0-1) suffered the pitching loss, allowing four earned runs and nine hits in 4.0 innings. Rece Martin (1-0) picked up the win, allowing no runs, one hit, with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. Central is now 3-1. Husson is back in action for a doubleheader Tuesday against Olivet College in Kissimmee, FL beginning at 1:30 pm. The Eagles have six games left on the Florida trip, before heading back East on March 23 and 24th for doubleheaders at Newbury in Massachusetts and Mitchell College in Connecticut. Husson opens up the home schedule on Wednesday the 27th for a non-conference game with St Josephs College (Maine), before opening up North Atlantic Conference play at home on Saturday the 30th for a DH against UMF. For the first time in program history Husson was selected in the pre-season coaches poll as the unanimous pick to win the NAC this season, getting all five first place votes.
