Castelton, VT - Husson baseball downed Castleton in a winner's bracket matchup in the NAC Tournament 7-6 Saturday. Husson scored in just two innings, three in the second and four in the eighth, to claim the win and a guaranteed shot at the Championship Sunday.
With the bases loaded in the top of the second, Spartan starting pitcher Adam Greenlese reeled off a wild pitch, allowing Kyle Bishop to score. Jordan Carter moved to third and Seth Freudenberger advanced to second. Carter managed to score in the next at-bat when Cody McInnis singled and moved Freudenberger charged to third. NAC player of the year Dylan Foster batted in the third and final run of the inning for the Eagles. Foster singled as well to plate Freudenberger for the 3-0 lead. All three runs came with two outs.
Castleton scored runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to take a 6-3 lead. Taylor Vile reached on a fielding error by the Eagles in the fourth while Nate Swahn scored. 3-1 Husson.
In the fifth, the Spartans scored three more. Joe Borowski singled scoring Allen White, Matt Mcnamee doubled scoring Macyn Clifford and Swahn hit a big RBI triple to score McNamee to take a 4-3.
Daniel Errico doubled in the sixth for the Spartans to score Borowski and White to make it 6-3.
It would be the Eagles getting the last laugh, however, as the Eagles score four runs on four hits in the eighth. With one out, Josh Gaudette singled up the middle before Dennis Meehan walked. Jordan Carter doubled to center in the next at-bat scoring both runners. Freudenberger grounded out to short and with two out Foster earned another hit. Carter scored on the play and Cody McInnis moved to second after walking in the at-bat before. Brandon Gendreau then singled to second to load the bases and J.T. Whitten walked, scoring the seventh and final run for the Eagles.
Husson used three pitchers on the afternoon in Pat McEwen, Casey Estes and Dan Whitney. Estes earned the victory in 3.1 innings of six-hit, two-run and two-walk ball, while striking out two. Dan Whitney entered the game for the final inning and picked up the save.
"It was a great baseball game played by both teams," manager Jason Harvey said after the big win. "Our guys showed a lot o heart bouncing back in the eighth to take the lead back. We are in a good position now and will look to carry the momentum for tomorrow."
With the win, Husson forces Castleton into an elimination game with Farmington later this afternoon and the winner of that contest has to defeat the Eagles twice on Sunday for NAC title.