After 14 games away from their home field to start the season, the Husson softball team played their home openers on Saturday which was also the conference openers against Suny-Canton. The Eagles were forced to play at Boucher Field on campus, as O’Keefe Field is still not quite ready for home play.
In game one against the Roos, six different Eagles had hits and Whitney Bess had a pair of runs driven in that was also backed from a strong start in the pitching circle from Jen Jones to spark a 7-1 Husson win. In the second game, the hosts used a four run sixth inning to start NAC play at 2-0 with an 8-5 win.
Suny-Canton took the early lead in the first game when Jaedyn Ossant scored on a wild pitch from Jones in the top of the second to make it 1-0. Husson made it 1-1 in the bottom half of the second when Jones scored on a passed ball, then took the lead 2-1 when Bess hit an RBI groundout in the third. The Eagles then broke it open with a five run fourth inning. Kylie Kennedy hit an RBI single with another run scoring on the throw by Suny-Canton to make it 4-1, Kylie Cunningham reached on a Roos error to score an unearned run, and then Bri Brochu hit an RBI single and Bess hit an RBI triple to end the scoring. Jones did the rest, improving her pitching record to 6-3 by going the complete 7.0 innings allowing one run, four hits, one walk, with 13 strikeouts. Kayla Chavarri (4-5) took the loss for the Roos allowing seven runs (two earned), six hits, no walks, with three strikeouts in a 6.0 inning effort.
A back and forth game two between the two teams was finally broken open late by the host Eagles for the doubleheader sweep and three run victory.
Bess scored on a passed ball in the first to make it 1-0 Eagles. An unearned second inning run on a Roos throwing error brought Cunningham across home plate and a 2-0 Eagles lead. Catcher MacKenzie Currie though slapped a three run, two out triple down the left field line in the fourth to put the visitors from Suny-Canton up 3-2. Husson responded right away in the bottom of the fourth on a pair of RBI doubles from Tamara Aunchman and Jones to regain a 4-3 advantage. Jordan Knapp evened things for the Roos in the sixth lifting an RBI sacrifice fly making it 4-4, before the Eagles broke it open in the bottom half. Husson got three runs on one play with Morgan Coleman at the plate. Coleman singled to center field for a two run hit, scoring both Olivia Smith and Bess. A throw to third went wild by Roos centerfielder McKenzie Mattison allowed Jones to come across the plate on the error, and the Eagles were in command up 8-4. Suny-Canton got one run back in their last at bat when Sophia Harris hit an RBI sacrifice fly to end the scoring for the day. Arika Brochu (5-2) got the pitching win in the circle for Husson allowing five runs (just one earned), five hits, with two walks, and six strikeouts in 6.0+ innings. Jones picked up her first save of the season not allowing any hits and striking out two of the three batters she faced in the seventh. Chavarri (4-6) took her second loss for the Roos on the day and had control problems in game two. She allowed six earned runs, nine hits, with seven walks, and had two strikeouts in the 6.0 inning effort. The Eagles improve to 11-5 overall, 2-0 in NAC play. Suny-Canton is now 5-11, 0-2. Husson slides back into non-conference play Wednesday with a doubleheader at Saint Josephs College (ME), before NAC play resumes at home next Saturday with two against Thomas College.
