WATERVILLE, Maine – The Husson University baseball team defeated Thomas College in a North Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Sunday afternoon in Waterville, winning game one 11-0, before holding off a Thomas rally in game two and earning an 8-4 win.
GAME 1:
Senior Akira Warren's run in the top-half of the first inning was all Husson (11-9, 8-2 NAC) needed to secure a win in game one, as junior Matt Wallingford and sophomore Tanner Audyatis allowed just three hits and no runs scored to lift the Eagles to a win in game one.
Warren scored during classmate Jackson Curtis's plate appearance, as an error from the Thomas (11-14, 7-4 NAC) shortstop allowed Warren to score from second base after getting on with a single earlier in the inning.
Freshman Ryan Bousquet posted three more runs for Husson in the third inning, after a single and an error plated sophomore Jack Cote, freshman Matt Holmes and sophomore Cam Rendell and gave the Eagles a 4-0 lead after three innings.
Husson doubled its score during its following at-bat, as a two-RBI single from Holmes, an RBI-triple from junior Tanner Evans and an RBI-single from Cote made the score 8-0 in favor of the Eagles.
A sacrifice fly from sophomore Keegan Cyr scored Evans in the top of the sixth inning, while a two-run home run from junior Justin Salvatore in the seventh scored sophomore Joe Hamelin and finished off the 11-0 win for the Eagles.
Wallingford secured his fourth win of the year, after lasting five innings and allowing just two hits and two walks, while striking out five batters. Audyatis closed the door in the final two innings, allowing just one hit during his relief outing.
Holmes led Husson with three hits and two RBIs in the opening game, while Cote and Bousquet each added two hits and Salvatore drove in two runs on his first-career home run.
GAME 2:
Much like the opening game of Sunday's conference clash, the Eagles used strong pitching to bogue-down the Terrier offense for the opening six innings and survived a late rally from Thomas to come away with the win.
Husson found the scoring column for the first time in the visitor-half of the second inning behind an RBI-single from sophomore Colin Marshall that scored Evans from second base.
The Eagles added a second run to their lead in the fourth inning, as junior Ryne Rametta was rewarded after he led off the inning with a single, as he crossed home later on in the inning following an error during Warren's plate appearance.
Husson doubled its edge in the top of the sixth inning, as a two-RBI single from Warren scored Rametta and Marshall, who both drew walks earlier on in the inning. Evans extended the lead for the Eagles to 5-0 the following inning, as he allowed Holmes to cross home plate on an RBI-single up the middle.
Following a three-run inning from the Terriers in the home-half of the seventh, a three-run home run from Marshall in the top-half of the ninth regained a five-run edge for the Eagles. Thomas managed to put up one run in the bottom of the ninth, but its comeback attempt fell short.
Senior Alex Smith posted his fourth win of the year on the mound, lasting six innings, while allowing two runs on five hits and one walk, while adding three strikeouts. Senior Ryan Robb closed out the final three innings, surrendering two runs on five hits, while also posting three punchouts.
Holmes and Marshall each posted two-hit games to lead the Eagle offense with Marshall driving in four runs.
Husson is back in action on Tuesday when it hosts Bates College in a non-conference contest at the Winkin Complex with first-pitch set for 6 p.m.
