Husson University Wins 2022 NAC Baseball Championship
COBLESKILL, N.Y. - The Husson University baseball team has won back-to-back North Atlantic Conference titles after an 11-7 victory over the Terriers of Thomas College on Tuesday afternoon at Fighting Tiger Park.
The Terriers (17-25) took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the second inning when the Eagles (24-15) scored six runs on six hits to gain a 6-3 lead. Senior Kobe Rogerson led the inning off with a homer to left field. Back-to-back hits by the first-year Tanner Evans and Ty Knowlton put runners in scoring position for senior Nick Swift who brought home Evans on a single. Senior Tyler Parke continued the inning with a single to center field to score Knowlton and tie the game. With two runners on, junior Joshua Scott walked to load the bases. Sophomore Jackson Curtis drove a bases-clearing double to left field to cap off the scoring in the inning.
There was no scoring in the third as the Eagles would extend the lead in the fourth thanks to a sacrifice fly from Scott to score Parke.
In the sixth, the Terriers came back to tie the game at seven but the Eagles would retake the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Senior Ethan Stoddard with a base hit to left to score Curtis and make it 8-7 Husson.
In the seventh, sophomore and NAC Tournament MVP, Austin Snow, doubled to begin the inning then Scott walked for the third time to set up runners on the corners. Curtis would clear the bases again to bring home both Snow and Curtis as the Eagles led, 10-7, after seven.
In the eighth, Snow drove in his seventh run of the tournament on a fielder's choice to score Evans and give the Eagles a four run lead into the ninth. Sophomore Ryan Robb completed the six-out save for the Eagles' second-consecutive conference championship.
Sophomore Alex Smith started the contest for the Eagles as he allowed two earned runs before first-year Matt Wallingford took over for three-plus innings and struck out four. Senior Jake Gregoire made an appearance for a second straight day as he went 1.2 innings to set up the closer. Robb became the all-time save leader in program history with two strikeouts in the effort.
Senior Cam Graham as well as Curtis and Parke were selected to the NAC All-Tournament.
Husson now awaits their regional round destination and opponents to be announced during the NCAA Division III Baseball selection show on Monday, May 16th, at 12:00 PM.
All-Tournament Team
- Austin Snow, Husson University - MVP
- Cam Graham, Husson University
- Tyler Parke, Husson University
- Jackson Curtis, Husson University
- Lucas Harmon, Thomas College
- Devin Grindle, Thomas College
- Brian Smith, Thomas College
- Samuel Gutierrez, SUNY Cobleskill
- David Flora, SUNY Cobleskill
- Dyllon Bougor, SUNY Canton
- Mackenzie Mather, SUNY Canton