Braves face Wilmington today

The Husson College Braves did not make the 16-hour trip from Bangor to Beaver Falls, Pa., just to show up, lose a pair of baseball games, and then make the long drive home.

Fifth-year coach John Kolasinski’s Braves are looking at this week’s NAIA Northeast Regional Tournament the same way they’ve looked at every game and/or tournament this season – like it is theirs for the taking.

“We’re going out to win,” Kolasinski said on Tuesday, after a “business-like” practice at Geneva College’s Brady’s Run Municipal Park, where the Braves take on Wilmington College in Wednesday’s opening round (1 p.m.). “Nobody has mentioned going home on Wednesday.”

Husson, courtesy of the Maine weather-related shortened season, brings only a 15-13 record into the tournament.

By the same token, Wilmington College of New Castle, Del., boasts a 33-11 mark, Geneva College is at 26-9, and Dominican College of Orangeburg, N.Y., has a 31-9-1 mark.

Wilmington and Dominican, who split four games this season, faced one another last year in the Regional final with Wilmington winning.

The Wildcats went on to finish tied for fifth at the NAIA World Series.

Both Wilmington and Dominican return a slew of players from last year’s squads.

Husson, meanwhile, is taking the double-elimination tournament one game at a time.

Up first is Wilmington College.

“I think we match up pretty well with them, especially with Matty (Dutille) on the mound,” Kolasinski said, referring to his pitching ace. “We worked out today and it was very business-like. We’re a team that’s usually very loose. There was little of that today.”

Dutille and Peter Allen will start the first two games, with Jamie Pete going in the third game, if Husson is still alive.

The deeper Husson gets into the tournament, Mike Kirby could see action along with Travis McKenney. Mark Hreben came out of the bullpen in the District 5 tournament and recorded two wins. He, too, could be a factor.

If Husson can’t win the whole thing and advance to the NAIA World Series in Des Moines, Iowa, then Kolasinski hopes the Braves can make a good showing in front of some very important NAIA people.

“We’ve got nothing to lose,” Kolasinski said. “I don’t think anybody here has anything to lose. Everybody has everything to gain. With our performance, if we can play well, it establishes our program a little.”

All three coaches from the other schools are NAIA raters and two others are district chairmen.

One challenge which Husson must overcome is the loss of first baseman Bill Swift, the team’s leading home run hitter and run producer.

Swift tore his hamstring during the NAIA Dist. 5 tournament two weeks ago. He will be available for pinch-hitting duties, but will not play in the field.

“I think we understand the game and we know injuries are a part of the game,” Kolasinksi said. “When it happens, everybody has to step up and perform. Bill had been struggling and it looked like he was just starting to get back into a groove. But, maybe Mike (McBride) is getting into a groove or maybe it’ll be somebody else.”

Come Wednesday, though, all the Braves will have to pick it up. Otherwise, it just might be two games and a long trip home.