HARTFORD, Conn. - The Husson University baseball team (22-8) came up short to the #18 SUNY Oswego Lakers (25-5) by the final score of, 17-6, in the opening game of the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship Hartford Regional.

The Eagles came out of the dugout swinging as Kobe Rogerson hit a ground-rule double followed by David LeBlanc taking a nice walk to first. Brandon Smith stepped up to the plate with two outs and hammered the ball over the second baseman's head to bring home both Rogerson and LeBlanc, opening up Husson with a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. The lead didn't last long as the Lakers scored five in the bottom half of the inning off of three hits.

The Eagles cut the Laker advantage down to 5-4 in the second inning, opening up with a Jackson Curtis double and Tyler Parke single. A sacrifice bunt by Nick Swift helped advance Parke to second, before LeBlanc stepped up to the plate with two outs. His single up the middle brought home two runs. SUNY Oswego continued to tack on runs, ending the game with a 17-6 victory.

ON THE MOUND

Brandon Brunell got the start, but was replaced early on by Chris Naylor. Naylor, Alex Smith, and Hunter O'Connor each pitched two innings apiece, while Zain Fitzsimmons and Jack Corey pitched one. The bullpen combined to give up 13 earned runs on 16 hits.  

Jake Terrill pitched seven innings in his fourth victory of the season as he gave up four runs on six hits. Jacob Sanders closed out the game for the Lakers, striking out and walking on in the final two innings. 

OFF THE BAT

• LeBlanc and Smith each produced two-run RBI hits. 

• Brendon Franke and Ryan Weiss both drove in three runs for the Lakers.

• Curtis and Rogerson pitched in doubles in the offensive effort.

UP NEXT!

The Eagles will face the Wildcats of Johnson & Wales University for an elimination game at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, May 28th.