DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Husson University baseball team earned its first victory of the season on Monday afternoon, as it defeated Stockton University 4-3 in 10 innings at the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational.
Junior Cam Rendell was the first threat on the bases for Husson (1-3), as he poked a one-out double to give the Eagles an early scoring threat. After a strikeout, sophomore Matt Holmes sent a single into right field and Rendell looked to score the game's opening run, but a good throw from the Stockton (5-5) outfielder would gun him out at the plate and keep the game scoreless.
The Ospreys made the most of their chance in the home-half of the first inning, as an RBI-double with a runner on third would break the ice and give them a 1-0 lead after one full inning.
After both teams went three-up, three-down in the second inning, Husson would flip the script and turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead.
Junior Colin Marshall flipped the order over in a good spot for the Eagles with a one-out double and graduate student Akira Warren followed his lead with a two-bagger of his own to knot the game up at one and Rendell continued his hot hitting at the plate with an RBI-single to score Warren and give the Eagles their first lead of the game.
Following another one-two-three inning for the Ospreys, junior Tanner Evans led off the home-half of the fourth with a single to once again put traffic on the bases for Husson.
Evans was advanced to second base on a sacrifice from senior Ryne Rametta and was moved to third on a wild pitch before senior Tyler Michaud gave the Eagles a two-run edge on an RBI-groundout.
Stockton brought the game back to within one in its following turn at-bat, as both offenses were held in check until the Ospreys tied the game at three on an RBI-single, but Husson was able to avoid any further damage despite Stockton having multiple runners on.
Both squads posted just one hit each over the eighth and ninth innings, as the game went quietly into extra-innings.
Marshall once again provided pivotal offense out of the nine-spot in the order as he led off the 10th inning with a single.
A ground out from Warren would move Marshall to second, which would set up a clutch RBI-double from Rendell to give the Eagles the eventual game-winning run.
The Ospreys went away uneventfully in the bottom of the 10th to allow Husson to come away with the win.
Rendell recorded four of Husson's 11 hits in the contest, in addition to Marshall contributing two base-knocks and five other Eagles adding one hit each.
In his first career pitching performance in a Husson uniform, junior Jack Cote was dazzling on the mound, allowing six hits over six-plus innings pitched, which turned into just three earned runs.
Freshman Spencer Johnson bridged the gap between Cote and junior Tanner Audyatis, throwing two-thirds of an inning, while allowing one hit and no runs.
Audyatis was masterful for the Eagles in the back end of the game, throwing 3.1 innings, allowing just two hits and striking out three in his extended bullpen outing.
Husson will look to add to the win-column tomorrow when it battles Vassar College in a doubleheader with game one beginning at 3:15 p.m.
