After a rainout postponed the second day of the NCAA Division III Baseball Regional Tournament on Alumni Field at Mitchell College in New London, Connecticut on Saturday, the teams were back at it on Sunday morning with Husson starting the day off in the losers bracket with in a win or go home scenario against Tufts University.
Husson was able to stave off elimination with a four run seventh inning to send Tufts University home for the season with a 5-2 victory. The Jumbos jumped on top scoring both their runs in the third on a Jimmy Evans RBI sacrifice fly and an RBI single by Connor Bowman. Jackson Curtis came with a big hit with two outs in the last of the third with an RBI infield single to score Tanner Evans to cut the deficit to a run at 2-1. The score remained the same until the bottom of the seventh inning with Husson batting. Hunter Curtis and David York led the rally off by both drawing walks. Brett Riffe pinch hit and laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up to second and third, and Colin Marshall had an infield single to shortstop to load the bases. After Kobe Rogerson fouled out to the first baseman for out number two, Evans came up with the game winner with a three-run double deep into right field. Jackson Curtis followed that with his second RBI with a single to center to cap off the scoring. Jackson Curtis had three hits and Evans had two as they combined for all five RBI in the victory. Alex Smith (3-3) picked up the win in relief of Connor Abood on the mound. Abood allowed two runs on eight hits in 6.1 innings. Ryan Robb picked up his fourth save. Jesse McCullough, Ben Leonard, and Patrick Solomon had two hits a piece in the loss for Tufts. Conner Kinney (5-1) took the defeat on the hill giving up three runs on four hits in 6.0+ innings. The Jumbos season ends with a record of 31-11.
In the last elimination round game of the regional on Sunday afternoon, #8 Wheaton College (Massachusetts) would score two runs in the 13th inning and end the season for Husson 3-1. The Eagles trailed for most of the game as a second inning RBI single by Tommy Ambrosone had given the Lyons a 1-0 lead. Husson though in the bottom of the ninth would even the score. With two outs and noone on base, Jackson Curtis would single. Ethan Stoddard then doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Akira Warren followed with an infield single to shortstop that scored pinch runner Austin Snow, but Stoddard was thrown at home plate trying to end the game as it went to extra innings. In the top of the 13th, Ambrosone singled, Marcus Ollivierre walked, and AJ Guindon had a bunt single to load the bases for Wheaton with noone out. Mike Maher then walked and Nick Croteau lifted an RBI sacrifice fly for a two run advantage. The Eagles escaped anymore damage by getting Cavan Brady to bounce into a doubleplay. Husson threatened again in their last at bat to try to win it or keep the game going, as York and Keegan Cyr both walked and Colin Marshall laid down a sacrifice bunt to move two runners into scoring position with one out. The Lyons intentionally walked Rogerson to load the bases, but Evans struckout looking and Riffe grounded out to the pitcher to end it. Warren had two hits in the Husson loss, and Connor Wagstaff (0-6) suffered the defeat in relief on the mound as they used eight different pitchers. Ambrosone, Mahar, Guindon, and Kevin Matos each had two hits for Wheaton College. Jackson Walsh (5-1) got the win in relief and Max Pierce picked up his fourth save. The Lyons (39-7) move into the regional final round against host school Mitchell College (33-8) on Monday. Mitchell would just need one win out of a possible two games to advance to the Super Regionals. Husson ends up with a final record of 25-19 in their third straight appearance in the NCAA Regionals. The Eagles have a record of 2-6 in those regional games over the past three seasons.
Recaps by Chris Lessner
