BANGOR- Jackson Curtis had seven RBI on Friday afternoon, as the Husson Eagles defeated SUNY Cobleskill 14-6 to claim the 2021 North Atlantic Conference Baseball Championship in a decisive Game 3 played on Alfond Diamond at the Winkin Complex.
SUNY Cobleskill (15-9) took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Frank Leger RBI single, but then Curtis and Husson went to work in the bottom half of the inning. Akira Warren was hit by a pitch to lead off, and then an error by the first baseman on a ball hit by Kobe Rogerson put runners on first and third. David Leblanc would single to score Warren to tie it 1-1. Chris Ewanik struck out, but Brandon Smith became the second Eagles batter to be hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ethan Stoddard would reach on a fielders choice, and Rogerson was cut down on a force play at home for the second out. Jackson then sent one deep to right center for a three-run double to clear the bases and make it 4-1 Husson.
In the fifth, Stephen Tejada singled into center to score Chris Kordziel to slice the Fighting Tigers margin to a pair. The hosts responded to that with a five run bottom half. Ethan Stoddard had an RBI single, Curtis an RBI double, Tyler Parke an RBI single, and then a two-run single by Rogerson made it 9-2. There was no quit in the West Division Champion from SUNY Cobleskill though, as Eddy Garcia hammered a three-run homerun to left field and Tejada added an RBI double to make it 9-6 in the sixth. The third double from Curtis in the bottom of the sixth made it 10-6, Rogerson singled in a run in the seventh, before Curtis finished off his huge day at the plate with a two-run double in the eighth. Rogerson added another RBI single also in the eighth for more insurance. Husson is making their first trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament since 2011, when they were under the direction of Head Coach Jason Harvey and lost to Western New England and Wheaton College.
Harrison Lendrum (3-0) earned the pitching win for Husson allowing six runs (four earned) on nine hits with no walks and five strikeouts 5.1 innings. It was the first time this season Lendrum had allowed an earned run (0 allowed in previous 17.1 innings). Curtis finished with four doubles and the seven RBI. Rogerson (three hits, four RBI) combined with the former Ellsworth High School star (Curtis) to go 7-10 at the plate with 11 driven in on the day for the Eagles. Jayson Maxwell and Kordziel each had three hits for SUNY Cobleskill, and Tejada (2-1) took the loss on the hill allowing seven runs (four earned) on five hits in 4.2 innings.
Curtis won the MVP for the Championship Series, finishing 6-13 with eight RBI in the three games. Husson, who is now led by second year Head Coach Chris Morris, is 22-7 and will await word on their time, opponent, and location for the NCAA Tournament which will be announced on Sunday afternoon.
BOX SCORE
COB (15-9) 1 0 0 0 1 4 0 0 0- 6 13 3
HUS (22-7) 4 0 0 0 5 1 1 3 x- 14 14 1
Winning pitcher- Harrison Lendrum (3-0)
Losing pitcher- Stephen Tejada (2-1)
Left on base- SUNY Cobleskill 8, Husson 11
Top- Husson celebrates the final out of the North Atlantic Conference Baseball Championship game in Bangor on Friday, May 21, 2021. Bottom- Husson pitcher Jesse Colford gets ready to fire an eighth inning pitch during the NAC Championship game on Friday. The Eagles are advancing to the NCAA Tournament with a 14-6 win over SUNY Cobleskill. Video/photo by Chris Lessner
