AUBURNDALE, Fla. – Husson College pitching limited Lesley University to just four hits and struck out 11 Lynx batters over the course of nine innings as the Eagles topped the Lynx 13-4 in RussMatt Invitational play this evening at Lake Myrtle Park. Husson moves to an even 1-1 on the early season while Lesley slips to 0-3.
Husson starter Ryan Rebar (Waterville, Me.) threw five scoreless innings in the first outing of his career, yielding just one hit while striking out five and walking three.
The Eagles offense wasted no time in producing runs as they put five across the plate in the top of the first inning. Two walks and a single loaded the bases before a pass ball allowed Dylan Foster (Oakland, Me.) to score the game's first run. Junior Kyle Bishop (Waterville, Me.) then blasted a three-run home run over the left field wall to give Husson an early 4-0 lead.
The Eagle bats were not done in the first, however, as senior Benjamin McLain (Pemaquid, Me.) followed a Brandon Gendreau (Brewer, Me.) single with an RBI double to left field.
Husson tacked on three more in the third thanks to a trio of bases-loaded walks and five more in the fourth to take a commanding 13-0 lead.
The Lynx got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when they pushed three runs across. Senior Paul-Michael Russo (West Haven, Conn.) led off the inning with a single to right and advanced to third when Robert Parson (Commack, N.Y.) reached on an error. Sophomore Joe Muratore (Mamaroneck, N.Y.) would plate Russo with an RBI single before Parson crossed the dish on a pass ball. Senior Ryan Genua (Prospect, Conn.) knocked in Lesley's third run with a fielder's choice.
Sophomore's Forrest Steevens (Wilton, N.H.) and Koby Mitchell (Fall River, Mass.) along with senior Kevin Hopwood (Winter Haven, Fla.) combined to pitch 4 and 2/3 innings of relief for Lesley, allowing just one run while striking a combined four Husson batters.
Lesley will play a doubleheader with Becker College starting at 9:30a on Thursday as they kick off the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) schedule before playing the final game of the three-game set on Friday.