BANGOR- The Husson Eagles scored four times in the fourth inning on Sunday afternoon, and captured the 2022 North Atlantic Conference Softball Tournament Championship with a 4-1 victory over the Thomas College Terriers at O’Keefe Field. It is the fourth straight NAC Tournament title for the Eagles.
Thomas College, who needed at least a win in the first game to force a winner take all second game, got off to a good start and took advantage of a Husson error in the top of the first inning. Pitcher Kelsey Currier led off with a single, before Anna Piirainen and Bailey Dunphy both struck out swinging against Husson starter McKenna Smith. Claudia Magliaccio then hit one on the ground back to Smith with two outs, but the throw by Smith was wide at first down the right field line allowing Currier to score for a 1-0 Terriers lead. In the bottom of the fourth with the score the same, Julia Gregoire led off for the Eagles with a single and Jess Pomerleau came in to pinch run. Pomerleau advanced to second base on a passed ball and to third on a sacrifice by Katie Raymond. Teagan Blackie then laid down a perfect bunt which Currier fielded and tried to shovel to the catcher Dunphy, but Pomerleau slid in safely to tie the score. Blackie then stole second, and Madelyn Fowler reached on an infield single. Kiara McLeod then had an infield hit scoring Blackie, and Katie Windsor laid down another perfect bunt that went for a hit down the first base line scoring Fowler. After a single by Whitney Bess, Kenzie Dore finished off the four run frame with an RBI sacrifice to centerfield. Smith took care of the rest in the circle, allowing just one unearned run on three hits on the afternoon with 13 strikeouts in the complete game 7.0 inning effort. Smith (17-3) had 30 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched in the three wins on the weekend for Husson. She was also named the NAC Tournament MVP.
Windsor, Bess, and Raymond had three hits a piece in the win, as the Eagles record improves to 26-9 on the season. Currier had two hits to lead Thomas College, also taking the pitching loss allowing four runs on nine hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 6.0 innings with her record ending up at 9-7 in the circle. The Terriers end up with a final record of 19-17, going 4-2 on the weekend. Husson will await word on who when and where they’re heading for the NCAA Division III Tournament, with an announcement coming on Monday. The Eagles went 2-2 last season in the 2021 regional that was held at Husson University.
2022 North Atlantic Conference Softball All-Tournament Team:
Serafina French, Cazenovia College
Caitlin Kelleher, Cazenovia College
Maya Davis, SUNY-Cobleskill
Victoria Decker, SUNY-Cobleskill
Kelsey Currier, Thomas College
Bailey Dunphy, Thomas College
Claudia Magliaccio, Thomas College
Kenzie Dore, Husson University
Teagan Blackie, Husson University
Meagan Gosselin, Husson University
McKenna Smith, Husson University- MVP
