Bangor, ME - The Husson University baseball team swept the first of two double headers this weekend with the Pilgrims of New England College, 3-2 and 6-1 in North East Athletic Conference (NEAC) action from the Harold Alfond Diamond at the John W. Winkin Sports Complex in Bangor, ME. With the wins, the Eagles improve their season record to 5-6 (2-0 NEAC) while the Pilgrims fall to 6-3 (0-2 NEAC). 

In game one Husson ace Nate Adams (Frankfort, ME) went the distance for his second complete game victory of the season. Adams threw seven complete, scattering as many hits, walking three and striking out five in his second win of the year. Offensively the Eagles picked up five hits, doing all of their damage in the third inning as all nine batters came to the plate in the frame. Lead-off hitter Dylan Foster (Oakland, ME) was 1-3 at the dish, driving in a run while scoring another. 

For the Pilgrims, sophomore pitcher Eric Johnson (Whitman, MA) pitched well despite being given the loss, going the distance (6.0 IP), giving up five hits while walking four and striking out six on the game. Designated hitter Gilberto Luis-Hermina (Miami, FL) went 1-3 at the plate while scoring a run and recording an RBI out of the number two slot. Pierce Byrd (Ft. Myers, FL) was the only Pilgrim with a multi-hit game, going 3-4 while playing shortstop for NEC. 

The Eagles starting things off in the third when first baseman Benjamin McLain (Pemaquid, ME) drew a lead-off walk, and advanced to third on a Cody McInnis (Bangor, ME) single. Foster came to the plate and laid down a suicide squeeze as McLain broke on the pitch. The run scored and the speedy Foster beat the throw at first base. After a Jake Arthers (Belfast, ME) walk to load the bases, Shawn Smith (Winterport, ME) hit into a double play, but that was good enough to score McInnis from third, and sent Foster to third. Foster scored on a wild pitch to finish the scoring as Husson led 3-0 after three.

New England College chipped away at the deficit in the top of the sixth when the Pilgrims set the table with a lead-off walk to Luis-Hermina, followed by a single from Byrd, and a ground out to the right side to move them over. Lucas Burgess (Bath, NH) got a deep enough fly ball to right field to score Luis-Hermina on the sacrifice. After a scoreless bottom of the sixth, the Eagles held on to a 3-1 lead.

With their backs against the wall, the Pilgrims mounted a late rally, when the number nine hitter Chris Biskup (South Portland, ME) started things off with a triple down the right field line. Luis-Hermina brought him home after an out, legging out an infield single on a slow roller to third to bring NEC to within one. After another Byrd single put two Pilgrims on the basepaths, Adams reached back and came up huge with a game-ending strikeout to earn the home-opener victory. 

After a short break, in the second game of the double header, the Eagles provided a bit more offense to pick up the second win. Kevin Rennick (Lincoln, RI) got the start behind the plate in game two, and came up big, going 2-3 at the dish while driving in a pair. Nick Lancisi (Dover, ME) moved to the designated hitter spot after catching game one, and turned in two RBI as well while scoring another out of the cleanup spot. South paw Mark Dvlinsky (Westbrook, ME) picked up his first win of the year, going six strong innings, allowing one earned on five hits and striking out four. 

For NEC, Biskup scored the only run of the game while going 1-1 with a walk out of the nine slot, while first baseman Kevin Caputo (Dighton, MA) drove him in to earn the RBI. Pilgrims' starter Tyler Perrin (Thetford Center, VT) was credited with the loss throwing five and two thirds, allowing six runs - three earned - on nine hits and two walks while striking out five batters.

The Eagles lit up the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second, getting one across in an interesting half-inning. Kyle Vanidestine (Bangor, ME) got a one out walk and advanced to third on a McLain single. With runners at the corners, Rennick came up and the Eagles tried to squeeze a run home like they had in the first game, but the pitch was too wide for Rennick to reach. Vanidestine, who was breaking on the pitch, was hung up on the basepaths, running into an out at the plate, while McLain advanced to second. On the very next pitch, Rennick ripped a ball down the left field line that brought McLain around to score the first run of game two. Rennick ran into the third out of the inning when he tried to stretch his hit into a double and was tagged out at second after a nice throw from Biskup in left. 

The Pilgrims answered back in the next half inning when Biskup led things off with walk, and moved to second on a Christopher Smith (Raynham, MA) single. Luis-Hermina moved them over with a sacrifice bunt, setting the table for Byrd. The sophomore shortstop delivered with a sacrifice fly to center field to even the score. On the play, Smith threw the ball in, where it was cut off by McLain who threw to third to nab smith and end the inning. 

After back-to-back scoreless half-innings, Husson broke the deadlock in the bottom of the fourth when Smith led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a Lancisi single. Josh Gaudette (Waterville, ME) grounded into what appeared to be a sure double play, but that was cancelled out by an NEC throwing error that flew into right field. When the dust settled, Smith and Lancisi both came around to score and Gaudette was left standing at second base. After a fly out and a ground out got Gaudette to third, Rennick kept swinging a hot bat and sent the ball back up the middle for an RBI single. 

Husson would tack on two more their next at bats in the 5th when Arthers picked up a one out single. Smith followed suit, and there were two on the basepaths for Lancisi who was up to task, belting a two-RBI double to center that one-hopped off the wall, giving the Eagles a 6-1 lead that they would maintain throughout to earn their second win of the day. 

The Eagles are back in action tomorrow when they return to the Winkin Complex for another double-header with the Pilgrims, once again beginning at 12:00 pm. Game two is projected to begin at 2:30 pm.