LYNDONVILLE, Vt. – The Husson University baseball team completed a North Atlantic Conference, doubleheader sweep of Vermont State University Lyndon on Tuesday afternoon at the Skip Pound Complex, winning game one 6-1, before rallying from a 5-0 deficit in game two to pick up a 7-5 victory.
GAME 1:
Freshmen got the traffic on the bases going for Husson (8-7, 5-1 NAC) in game one, as Kevin Connolly was hit by a pitch, while Matt Holmes drew a walk to put two runners on to start the second inning. Junior Tanner Evans would get the Eagles on the board after he reached first base on an error and allowed Connolly to cross home-plate.
Husson would plate two more runs in the following inning, as the top of the order for the Eagles did as they have done all year, as sophomore Keegan Cyr drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third base on senior Akira Warren's double. Sophomore Cam Rendell would drive both runners in two batters later, as he laced a single to center field to give Husson a 3-0 lead after three innings.
After Lyndon (2-17, 1-4 NAC) got a run back in the home-half of the fourth, Holmes put the Eagles back up by three in the top of the sixth when he ripped his second home run of the season to right-center field.
Husson would tack on two more runs in its final turn at-bat in game one, as Rendell joined the long-ball party, as the transfer blasted a two-run shot to center field and scored Cyr, who singled to lead-off the inning.
Junior Matt Wallingford earned his first victory of the season on the mound, as he lasted six innings and allowed just one run on five hits and two walks, while adding seven strikeouts. Sophomore Tanner Audyatis shut the door in the bottom of the seventh, holding the Hornets scoreless even after allowing two hits in the inning.
Rendell led the Eagles at the plate, posting a two-hit game, in addition to driving in four of the six Husson runs, while Cyr tallied two runs scored.
GAME 2:
It appeared that the finale of Tuesday's double-dip would go the way of Lyndon, as the Hornets chased junior Connor Abood from his start after just one inning, jumping out to a 5-0 lead after two innings of play.
Husson started its comeback in the fourth inning by loading the bases, as junior Ryne Rametta reached on an error, while sophomore Joe Hamelin and senior Austin Snow each drew a walk. The Eagles would knock one run off their deficit courtesy of sophomore Colin Marshall, who recorded an RBI-groundout that scored Rametta and moved the other runners up one base. Cyr cleaned up the mess and brought Husson to within 5-3, as he singled to left field and plated Hamelin and Snow.
The Eagles would erase another run off the deficit the following inning, with the heart of the order doing the damage. Senior Jackson Curtis got the inning started with a double to immediately put a runner in scoring position for Husson. Rendell would move Curtis to third on a fly out to center field and Holmes finished the job off with an infield single to bring the score to 5-4 in favor of the Hornets.
The comeback would be complete for the Eagles in the top of the sixth after Marshall worked his way around the bases after being hit by a pitch and would score on a single to left field from Warren to knot the game up at five. Husson would take a 6-5 lead later on in the inning, as Warren stole second base and would score during Rendell's at-bat, as the sophomore reached on an error.
The Eagles added an insurance run in the top of the eighth, as Warren posted another run after he doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Rendell after advancing to third on an infield-single from Curtis to give Husson a two-run edge.
Senior Alex Smith pitched an efficient eight innings of baseball after a rough first inning for the Eagles, as he allowed no runs on just three hits and three walks, adding seven strikeouts on just 88 pitches thrown to tally his first win of the year.
Curtis and Warren combined for five of the seven hits for Husson, while Cyr posted two RBIs and Warren scored two runs. The Eagles showcased some great plate discipline as a team in Tuesday's two victories, posting 12 total walks across the two games.
Husson will return to the field tomorrow when it ventures back to non-conference action and travels to Colby College for a single, nine-inning game with first-pitch set for 3:30 p.m.
