ATLANTA, Ga. – The Husson University baseball team suffered two more losses on Saturday at the hands of Oglethorpe University, dropping game one of the doubleheader 4-3, before concluding the day with a 6-3 loss to the Stormy Petrels.
GAME ONE: Oglethorpe 4, Husson 3
Despite getting back-to-back home runs and a 3-0 lead after two innings to open the game, Husson (0-2) was unable to hang on to its advantage, as Oglethorpe (9-4) posted one run in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings to pick up the series win over the Eagles.
With a gusty wind blowing hard out to right field, graduate student Akira Warren and junior Cam Rendell both poked solo shots over the right field fence to immediately give Husson a 2-0 edge.
The Eagles would add on to their lead in the visitor-half of the second inning, as junior Tanner Evans led off the inning with a double and was brought in three batters later when senior Ryne Rametta grounded out to shortstop after the Stormy Petrels left the bases loaded in their previous at-bat.
Oglethorpe plated its first run of the contest in the bottom of the second, as a one-out double, followed by a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, while a walk brought in the tally for the Stormy Petrels, but Husson benefited from a line drive right at first base, which led to an easy double-play to end the inning.
The hosts tied the contest up with an unearned run in the third inning and an RBI-groundout in the following at-bat, while a two-out solo home run in the home-half of the fifth gave Oglethorpe its first lead.
Husson had opportunities in the sixth and seventh innings with three total base runners, but the bullpen of the Stormy Petrels kept the Eagles quiet and wrapped up a win.
Warren led the Husson offense with three base hits, while Rendell and Evans each posted two-hit games for the Eagles.
Graduate student Alex Smith got the start on the mound and went three innings and surrendered just one earned run, but allowed a lot of traffic on the bases with four hits and four walks.
Junior Allen Wheaton and senior Matt Wallingford both made appearances out of the bullpen for the Eagles, as Wheaton lasted 1.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits and two walks, while Wallingford went 3.1 innings and didn't allow a run despite allowing four hits and a walk.
GAME TWO: Oglethorpe 6, Husson 3
The finale of Saturday's doubleheader began much like game one, as sophomore Matt Holmes connected on the sixth home run of the three-game series for Husson (0-3) after Warren and Rendell led off the game with back-to-back singles to give the Eagles a quick 3-0 lead.
Oglethorpe (10-4) once again chipped away at the early deficit, as a failed pick-off attempt from Husson placed a runner on third base for the Stormy Petrels, which was brought in during that same at-bat to shave one run off of the Husson lead.
After a lead-off walk began the second inning for Oglethorpe, a stolen base and two wild pitches later plated the second run of the game, which was followed up with a big three-run fourth inning to allow the Stormy Petrels to take a 5-3 lead.
Oglethorpe added an insurance run in the home-half of the fifth and was again able to bog-down the Husson offense in the late innings to complete the series-sweep.
The Eagles managed to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a strikeout from Holmes ended their comeback hopes.
Rendell added two more hits to his strong day at the plate, while graduate student Jackson Curtis also contributed a two-hit outing for Husson.
A combination of six pitchers got the Eagles through the final game of the series, as freshman Avery Lawrence, junior Ben Phillips, sophomore Wyatt Stevens, freshman Noah Hurd, graduate student Ryan Penney and sophomore Jacob Love all saw time on the mound.
Husson will now head to Davenport, Florida to compete in the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, with its first game taking place on Monday at 1:15 p.m. against Stockton University.
