STORRS, Conn. – The Husson University baseball team avoided elimination in the 2024 NCAA Division III Baseball Willimantic, Conn. Regional with its 4-2 victory over No. 22 Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday evening at the University of Connecticut's Elliot Ballpark.
Similarly to yesterday's regional-game, Husson (24-11) found the scoreboard first, as sophomore Cam Rendell plated fellow sophomore Keegan Cyr on a one-out sacrifice fly to left field to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead after the opening frame.
Eastern Connecticut State (29-15) found an equalizer in the visitor-half of the fourth inning, as a passed ball from Husson with a runner on third base allowed an unearned tally to cross the plate, tying the game at one.
The Warriors took their first lead of the contest in the top of the sixth inning, courtesy of an RBI-single to right field with runners on first and second, which presented the Eagles with a 2-1 deficit.
Husson responded with three runs of its own in the bottom-half of the inning, as the Eagles loaded the bases with no outs in the inning thanks to a single from senior Akira Warren, a walk from senior Jackson Curtis and an infield-single from Rendell. A 6-4-3 double-play from sophomore Hunter Curtis cost Husson two outs, but allowed Warren to come in to score and even the game up at two.
With J. Curtis advancing to third on the previous play, freshman Matt Holmes stepped up in a big moment for the Eagles, as he blasted a two-run homer over the left-center field fence and gave Husson a 4-2 edge after six innings.
Eastern Connecticut State managed to load the bases off of senior Alex Smith in the top of the eighth, but classmate Ryan Robb entered the game and forced a ground out to end the inning and keep the lead intact for the Eagles.
Robb surrendered a pair of base runners in the ninth inning, but held strong to tally his fourth save of the season and push Husson to victory.
Rendell led all Eagle hitters at the plate with two hits, in addition to Warren, Holmes, freshman Kevin Connolly and sophomore Colin Marshall posting one hit each.
Junior Connor Abood tallied his sixth win of the year on the mound, lasting six innings and allowing one earned run on five hits and three walks, while striking out five batters. Smith went 1.2 innings of relief and surrendered two hits and one walk, but no runs, while Robb allowed one hit and one walk in his 1.1 innings of scoreless-relief.
Husson is back in action tomorrow at 11 a.m., as it looks to clinch a spot in the regional championship series against the loser of No. 1 Endicott College and SUNY New Paltz.
