WATERVILLE, Maine – The North Atlantic Conference named its postseason award winners and all-conference honorees for baseball on Wednesday and the Husson University baseball team earned one major award and six all-conference selections.
Junior Matt Holmes was voted player of the year and a first team outfield honoree. Holmes has put together one of the better years in the NAC and for Husson baseball, leading the NAC in batting average (.403), on-base percentage (.520), slugging percentage (.782), OPS (1.302), hits (48), RBIs (55) and total bases (93), while tying for the league-lead in home runs (9) and placing third in both doubles (12) and walks (27). Holmes has had multiple hits in 15 of his 36 games played, including six games of at least three hits and two games with four hits. In conference games, Holmes has taken his game to a different level, leading the NAC in batting average by nearly .030, in addition to holding significant leads in the same categories he leads the league in overall. Holmes has been named NAC player of the week three times this season, in addition to Maine College Baseball and Softball Association Player of the Week once.
Senior Cam Rendell joined Holmes on the first team, as a first baseman, as Rendell has had a solid senior season at first base, compiling a .364 batting average, to go along with a .466 on-base percentage, a .595 slugging percentage and a 1.061 OPS. Rendell has tallied six doubles, two triples and six home runs, while driving in 31 runs and scoring 32 runs himself. Additionally, Rendell has drawn 23 walks, been hit by a pitch twice and posted a 2-2 clip on stolen bases.
Freshman Preston Libby was tabbed a first team all-conference member at third base after he stepped right into the role of starting third baseman for the Eagles and has done exceptionally well in his first year in green and gold. Libby has recorded a .269 batting average overall, but raised his average to .292 in conference matchups, while adding a .337, .371 and .708 in the on-base, slugging and OPS departments in conference affairs. Libby has posted four doubles and three triples for the Eagles with two of those extra-base hits single-handedly bringing the Eagles back from multi-run deficits to tie the game up in the final turn at the plate for the team. Libby has driven in 21 runs and scored 20 runs, while also earning eight walks and a perfect 3-3 clip on stolen bases. Libby has been named NAC rookie of the week twice and Maine College Baseball and Softball Association Rookie of the Week once.
Sophomore Noah Hurd picked up the final first team all-conference nod for the Eagles, as he has provided a steady long-relief arm out of the bullpen for the Eagles all season long. Totaling 12 appearances and 34 innings pitched, Hurd has compiled a 2.65 ERA, including a 1.04 ERA in conference games in 26 innings pitched. Hurd has recorded a 1.21 WHIP, while surrendering just three extra-base hits in conference play, in addition to a .241 batting average against. The left-hander has tallied a 3-1 record with two saves, while adding 24 strikeouts during his strong sophomore year.
Junior Henry Lausier garnered a second team selection after he handled the transition to the everyday left fielder for Husson with ease, as he has compiled a .333 batting average, while starting in all 37 games for the Eagles. Lausier has also totaled a .462 on-base percentage, a .421 slugging percentage and a .833 OPS in his third year with the Eagles. Additionally, Lausier has recorded five doubles, one triple and one home run, while driving in 17 runs and scoring a team-high 39 times. Lausier has also posted 21 walks, seven hit by pitches and a team-high 14 stolen bases on 15 attempts.
Senior Colin Marshall earned the final all-conference spot for the Eagles and put together a solid final year at Husson, transitioning to the everyday lead-off hitter for the Eagles. Batting .298 for the season, including .361 in NAC games, Marshall has recorded a .401 on-base percentage, a .403 slugging percentage and a .804 OPS, while upping those numbers to .476, .506 and .982 respectively in conference. Marshall has recorded six doubles, two triples and one home run, while driving in 18 runs and scoring 28 times. Additionally, Marshall totaled 19 walks, three hit by pitches and a 6-9 rate on stolen bases. Marshall was named NAC player of the week once.
Additionally for the Eagles, sophomore Jackson Lizzotte was selected to the sportsmanship team.
