BANGOR, Maine- The Husson University baseball team was swept in a pair of NAC games Saturday at the Winkin Complex by the top team in the conference, the Castleton Spartans.
Castleton came into this weekend just one win away from locking up home field for the NAC playoffs and they did so quickly, cruising to a 6-1 win in game one. Dillon Benham had a pair of two run singles and four RBI to lead the Spartans. Starting pitcher Mike Labeau (5-2) who came into the game with a 1.07 ERA, shut down the Eagles offense. Labeau went the full seven innings, allowing just one run, five hits, with three walks, and eight strikeouts. Ryan Rebar had the lone RBI for Husson. Ben Walls (5-2) went the distance in the loss, allowing six runs, three earned, 10 hits, with no walks, and seven strikeouts.
In game two, a pitchers duel and rally by Castelton led the Spartans to a 2-1 win.
Matt Graciano gave Husson the lead with a squeeze bunt in the fifth, scoring Alex Chapman to make it 1-0.
Davis Mikell tied it with an RBI double in the sixth, and Josh Rylant had an RBI single in the seventh to give the Spartans the win.
Luke Salerno (6-0) went the distance for the win for the Spartans, allowing one run, five hits, with no walks and seven strikeouts. Former Bangor High standout Freshman Jesse Colford (2-1) took the loss for Husson, going 6.1 innings, allowing two runs, five hits, with two walks, with five strikeouts.
Husson is now 21-16 overall and 13-7 in the NAC. Castleton, the regular season champs officially, are 28-7, 19-3. The two teams will finish out the four game series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on Senior Day at the Winkin Complex.
At Castleton, Vermont the Husson softball team split a doubleheader with the Spartans. The Eagles fell 1-0 in game one, and then won game two 3-1.
Husson needs to sweep the doubleheader at New England College Sunday in order to host the NAC playoffs at Husson University next weekend.
