BANGOR- The Husson University Eagles hosted the first two games of the 2021 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Championship series (best of three) on Thursday at the Winkin Complex against West Division winner SUNY Cobleskill. Game 1 would go to Husson 5-2, before the Fighting Tigers lived up to their name to rally in the bottom of the ninth in Game 2 for a 3-2 walkoff win to even the series 1-1, forcing a decisive Game 3 on Friday.
GAME 1- A throwing error by Husson in the top of the first inning allowed Nick Thomas to score and SUNY Cobleskill had an early 1-0 lead. The Fighting Tigers made it 2-0 in the fourth on another unearned run on an error, with River Sisson driving that one in with an RBI double. In the bottom half though the Eagles took the lead. David Leblanc led off with a single, and Chris Ewanik hit a two-run homerun to right field, his third of the season. Later in the inning, Tyler Parke singled in Brandon Smith to make it 3-2 Husson. Akira Warren added a sacrifice fly for an RBI in the seventh inning, and Leblanc scored on a wild pitch in the eighth to end the scoring. Cam Graham (5-1) was impressive again on the mound picking up the win allowing two runs (none earned) on five hits with one walk and six strikeouts in 8.0 innings of work. Ryan Robb picked up his fifth save. Leblanc and Parke had two hits a piece. Jarrod Williams (2-2) took the pitching loss for SUNY Cobleskill allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 7.1 innings. Jayson Maxwell had two hits.
GAME 2- SUNY Cobleskill served as the home team in the second game. Both starting pitchers were on their game, Devin Lewis for the Fighting Tigers and Brandon Brunell for the Eagles. The game was scoreless to the bottom of the fourth, when SUNY took the lead on a Frank Leger RBI single. Jackson Curtis tied it 1-1 in the sixth inning with an RBI single that scored Smith. Husson looked to be in good shape when Kobe Rogerson hit a sharp grounder in the hole at second base with one out and two men on base in the top of the ninth. Connor Mann made a diving stab to get to it, but his throw was low at first base allowing Nick Swift to score unearned to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage. Husson, who ended up leaving 11 men on base, couldn’t add on however as Shane Ladden retired the next two batters. SUNY wasn’t doing down easy and proved just that in their last at bat against Robb who came in to try to pick up his second save of the day. Thomas led off with a sharp single to right, and Maxwell followed with a double down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Leger was intentionally walked to load the bases. Eddy Garcia then hit a groundball to a drawn in infield to Rogerson at shortstop, who was gonna come home to cut down the run with a force play but juggled it for an error that tied the game. Robb then faced Sisson, but unleashed a wild pitch and Maxwell came home for the winning run and walkoff victory. Warren, Curtis, and Swift had two hits a piece for the Eagles. Brunell got a no-decision allowing one run on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Robb (0-1) was charged with his first loss of the season. Thomas had two hits for SUNY Cobleskill. Their starter Lewis also got a no-decision allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits with five walks and six strikeouts in 8.1 innings. Ladden (1-0) pitched 2/3 of an inning to get credit for the relief win.
Husson (21-7) and SUNY Cobleskill (15-8) battle for the NAC Title and a spot in the NCAA Division III Regional Tournament on Friday in the decisive Game 3 with a first pitch scheduled for 12 noon at the Winkin Complex.
Game 1 BOX
COB 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0- 2 5 5
HUS 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 1 x- 5 8 5
Winning pitcher- Cam Graham (5-1)
Losing pitcher- Jarrod Williams (2-2)
Save- Ryan Robb (5)
Left on base- SUNY Cobleskill 3, Husson 6
Game 2 BOX
HUS 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1- 2 6 1
COB 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2- 3 8 1
Winning pitcher- Shane Ladden (1-0)
Losing pitcher- Ryan Robb (0-1)
Left on base- Husson 11, SUNY Cobleskill 3
Photos top to bottom Husson vs SUNY Cobleskill North Atlantic Conference Baseball Championship series in Bangor on Thursday, May 20, 2021- The two teams line up for the national anthem, David Leblanc takes a turn at bat for the Eagles, Jackson Curtis at the plate for Husson, Cam Graham fires a pitch for the hosts in Game 1, and Fighting Tigers pitcher Jarrod Williams delivers a third inning pitch. The teams split the first day in the best of three, forcing a winner take all on Friday. Photos by Chris Lessner
