MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Husson University baseball team saw its season come to an end on Sunday evening, as it fought its way into its first regional championship game in program history by defeating SUNY New Paltz 6-2, but ultimately fell to No. 1 Endicott College 4-3 in the 2024 NCAA Division III Baseball Willimantic, Conn. Regional Championship at the Eastern Baseball Stadium.
Husson University 6, SUNY New Paltz 2:
A three-run second inning for Husson (25-12) proved vital, as it scored the first six runs of the contest and defeated SUNY New Paltz (31-16) 6-2 to clinch a berth in the regional championship game, in addition to winning multiple games at an NCAA regional for the first time since 2009.
Freshman Matt Holmes continued to be an essential part of the Eagles' offense at the regional, as he provided Husson with its first run of the contest in the second inning with an RBI-double to left field, which plated sophomore Hunter Curtis.
The bottom of the Husson order provided the next two runs in the second inning for the Eagles, as an RBI-groundout from sophomore Colin Marshall scored Holmes, while freshman Kevin Connolly took advantage of a wild pitch and an error from the Hawks catcher to score the third run for Husson.
The Eagles added two more runs to their advantage in the visitor-half of the fourth inning, as an RBI-fielder's choice from junior Tanner Evans brought in H. Curtis, while an RBI-single from sophomore Keegan Cyr scored Evans, as it was 5-0 Eagles after four innings.
Evans provided his second RBI of the game in the fifth inning, as he singled home sophomore Cam Rendell and closed-out the scoring for Husson.
SUNY New Paltz would plate one run each in the sixth and seventh innings, but was unable to mount a comeback, as the Eagles eliminated the Hawks from the regional.
The Husson offense exploded for 12 hits in the elimination-game victory, as Holmes led all hitters with three hits, while Cyr, senior Jackson Curtis and H. Curtis each tallied two hits.
Rendell got the start on the hill and finished just one out short of qualifying for the win, as he pitched 4.2 innings of scoreless baseball, allowing just one hit and four walks, while striking out three hitters.
Senior Alex Smith picked-up his fifth victory of the year with his 1.2 innings of work, surrendering two runs on two hits and two walks, while fellow senior Ryan Robb finished off the last 2.2 innings and allowed no runs on four hits and one walk.
No. 1 Endicott College 4, Husson University 3:
Despite holding a 3-2 lead after the top-half of the fifth inning, in addition to getting a career-best six innings pitched from senior Ryan Penney, Husson fell to Endicott (44-2) in the regional championship game.
The Gulls struck first in the championship game with two runs in the second inning, courtesy of an RBI-single and an RBI-double.
It was the Eagles who scored the next three runs, as an RBI-single from J. Curtis in the third inning scored Connolly, while a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch from Cyr scored Holmes in the fourth and a sacrifice fly from Holmes in the fifth plated J. Curtis and gave Husson a 3-2 lead after the visitor-half of the fifth.
Endicott wouldn't go away though, as an RBI-groundout in the fifth tied the game up at five and a sacrifice fly to right field in the sixth gave the Gulls a 4-3 lead.
The Eagles put the tying-runner on in each of the final three innings, but couldn't manage to force a winner-take-all game tomorrow, as Endicott clinched the regional championship.
J. Curtis paced Husson at the plate with his two hits, while Evans, Connolly and Marshall posted one hit each.
Sophomore Tanner Audyatis got the start for the Eagles, pitching two innings, allowing two runs on four hits and no walks.
Penney delivered arguably his best performance of his career against the No. 1 ranked Gulls with his six innings pitched. The senior allowed just two runs on five hits and two walks, in addition to two strikeouts. The longest outing of Penney's career prior to today was four innings, which he achieved twice, once against the University of Southern Maine this year and the other coming against Concordia College-Moorhead in 2023.
