Schneider's Walks-Off Lifts Baseball Past Keene State, 7-6

Recap courtesy of Husson

AUBURNDALE, Fla. - Freshman catcher Michael Schneider hit a walk-off single to lift Husson University (1-2) past Keene State College (1-3), 7-6, in a non-conference baseball game at Lake Myrtle Sports Park on Sunday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Green and Gold found themselves in a 2-0 hole after the first inning. Keene State's Sam Czel scored an unearned run off a groundout by Connor Walsh, while Tyler Gammie triple plated the other. The Eagles wasted little time answering right back, cutting the lead in half off a RBI groundout by freshman leftfielder Nolan Brown in the bottom of the second.

Keene State's offense tagged Husson's senior starting pitcher Austin Smith for two runs each in the
third and fourth innings to take a 6-1 lead.

Husson settled in and begin to work their way out of trouble by using a 4-run seventh inning to flip the script on the Owls. A RBI triple by Brown sparked the Eagle comeback, followed by Brown scampering home on a wild pitch which proved to be the straw that stirred the drink. The Eagles trailed by a lone run at the frame's end, 6-5 after an Owl error and a sacrifice fly by freshman third baseman Ethan Stoddard.

After two quick outs in the eighth, Husson's bats came to life once again as senior designated hitter Luke Covey singled, advanced to second on a walk by junior shortstop Nick Guerrette and then scored on a RBI single by Brown.

With the game knotted at six entering the ninth, a bases loaded RBI single off the bat of Schneider plated senior rightfielder Conor Maguire with the game-winning run, giving Husson their first victory of the 2019 season.

ON THE MOUND:
Smith allowed six runs (three earned) off nine hits in six innings before seeing the Eagle bullpen toss three scoreless innings of one-hit ball.  Alex Brooks, Jacob Gauvin, and Nolan Dousa (1-0) all throw a side apiece, with Dousa being credited with the victory.

Keene State's Ryan Silwinski allowed six hits and three runs in 6.1 innings of work with three punchouts. Issac Keehn yielded three runs (one earned) off three hits and a walk with a strikeout in 1.1 innings. Shawn O'Donnell took the loss for the Owls after giving up Schneider's single in the ninth.

OFF THE BAT - HUSSON:

• Brown went 2-4 with a run, a triple and three RBI.
• Schneider was 2-5 with the game-winning RBI.
• Stoddard went 2-4 with an RBI.
• Covey was 2-4 with a pair of runs and a triple.
• Guerrette went 2-2 with a run, a walk and a stolen base.

OFF THE BAT - KEENE STATE:

• Gammie was 1-4 for the Owls with a triple and an RBI.
• Czel went 1-2 with a home run, two walks, a stolen base and two RBI.
• Tom Meucci was 2-4 with a double.
• Mac Struthers finished the game by going 2-4 with two runs and a walk.