LEXINGTON, Mass. – The Husson University baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Lesley University on Sunday afternoon to take three out of four for the weekend series, dropping game one 2-1, before bringing the bats to life to take the series finale 9-1 at Minuteman High School.
GAME ONE: Lesley 2, Husson 1
Lesley (5-11) rode the back of a complete-game from Andrew Gryniewicz and got two unearned runs off of Husson (7-8) in the third inning to pick up the game one victory.
Both the Lynx and the Eagles managed to put at least one runner on base in each of the first two innings, but neither offense could break through for the game's opening run.
After graduate student Akira Warren led off the top of the third inning with a single up the middle, classmate Jackson Curtis continued to drive in runs as he produced an RBI-groundout to get the Eagles on the board first.
Lesley would strike back in the home-half of the frame, as the Lynx knotted the contest up at one on a passed ball, before taking the lead on an RBI-single to right field.
The Eagle offense was held quiet for the remainder of the seven-inning contest, as Husson wasn't able to put a runner in scoring position in the final three innings, after having a runner on third with two outs in the fourth inning.
A quartet of Eagles accounted for the four hits in the contest, while junior Hunter Curtis recorded a walk.
Freshman Avery Lawrence and junior Allen Wheaton did their best to keep Husson in the game, allowing no earned runs in their six innings of work, while surrendering just four hits and three walks.
GAME TWO: Husson 9, Lesley 1
In the weekend's finale, Husson (8-8) got the bats going, while limiting Lesley (5-12) to just two hits to come away with the series win.
Warren continued to get on base, as he led off game two with a hit by pitch, which was followed up two batters later by a double to left-center field by J. Curtis to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
Husson was still in prime scoring position in the inning with runners on second and third and just one out, but the Lynx managed to avoid further damage in the inning.
The Eagles added three more runs in the top-half of the second inning after sophomore Jack Lano punched out three batters in the bottom of the first, as a walk followed by a sacrifice bunt from senior Ryne Rametta placed sophomore Tanner Crowley at second base with just one down in the frame.
An infield single from junior Colin Marshall gave the Eagles runners on the corners and Warren took advantage with an RBI-double through the left side to plate Crowley.
Senior Tanner Evans doubled the Husson lead one batter later with a single to right field which scored both Marshall and Warren to give the Eagles a 4-0 edge.
Lesley managed to get its lone run of the contest in the home-half of the second on an RBI-single, but the Eagles were able to get that run back in the top of the fourth, as J. Curtis drove in Warren a second time after Warren reached on a fielder's choice.
Husson was able to blow the game open in the top of the fifth with four runs. Sophomore Ryan Bousquet crossed home on a passed ball, while Warren recorded two more RBIs when he singled home Rametta and Marshall and J. Curtis drove in Warren for a third time in the contest on a fielder's choice to close out the scoring for the Eagles.
J. Curtis and Warren provided much of the Husson offense in the win, as Warren scored four runs, while posting two hits and three RBIs, in addition to J. Curtis contributing two hits and three RBIs of his own.
Five Husson pitchers combined to shut down the Lesley offense, as junior Ben Phillips got the win by going 2.2 innings and getting eight of the nine batters he faced out.
The Eagles will get to play their home-opener at the Winkin Complex on Tuesday afternoon, as they will host the University of Southern Maine at 3:30 p.m.
