Braves’ big hitters set to return Husson assured of playoff spot in 2004

A Husson College Braves baseball team that could be a very good one may have a busy postseason next spring.

They will definitely play in the NAIA’s Sunrise Conference tourney because there will be just four teams left in the conference.

Thomas and the University of Maine-Farmington have left the Sunrise Conference to play in the NCAA Division III North Atlantic Conference.

Husson has joined the NAC in all sports except baseball. They will seek to qualify for the NAIA tournament.

But they could also play in the NAC tournament. They will be playing the other four NAC teams: UMF, Thomas, Becker (Mass.) and Castleton State (Vt.) during the regular season.

“In order to receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, you need seven teams in your conference,” explained Husson coach John Kolasinski. “This year, just one team received an at-large berth to the [six-team] NCAA Northeast Regional. The others were conference champions.”

Kolasinski said it is important for his players to have something to shoot for and the NAIA affords them that opportunity.

The Sunrise Conference tournament champion will represent Region 10 and will host a best-of-three series against the Region 9 titlist for a berth in the NAIA World Series.

The Braves went 22-17 and lost in the Sunrise Conference championship round to Thomas this spring.

The Braves will return virtually intact.

“We ended up being a very good team this year and we should be a very good team next year,” said Kolasinski, who will begin his 16th season in the fall.

“I would like to find a guy who can hit in the four hole between [No. 3 hitter] Jason Folsom and Craig Harvey,” said Kolasinski.

Craig Harvey hit fourth this past season but Kolasinski prefers him in the five spot.

The Braves will be led by five returnees who hit .346 or better in catcher Folsom (.391-4 homers-36 RBIs), RF Billy Kane (.378-0-24), 3B Josh Ferguson (.367-2-20, team-high 14 doubles, 40 runs and 17 stolen bases), 1B Harvey (.348-2-34) and his brother, shortstop Jason Harvey (.346-0-11, 11 steals).

First baseman-DH Steve Estes (.293-0-7), CF Justin Spencer (.290-4-28, 11 steals), starting 2B Shawn Henderson (.196-1-10) also and OF-P Kyle Mathieu (.213-1-7) will also return.

Husson will lose LF Tony Laprino (.276-1-31) and DH-3B-P Tony Creek (.222-0-10).

Creek is the only pitcher who will graduate. Craig Harvey (7-1, 1.81 earned run average) and Jeremy York (4-1, 4.34) will anchor the pitching staff along with Barrett Dionne (3-0, 5.70), Chris McInnis (2-0, 5.76), Paul Klink (2-2, 6.,65), Mike Cowperthwaite (1-5, 7.96) and reliever Ferguson (0-0, 5 saves, 6.14).

“It may have been the deepest pitching staff I’ve ever had,” said Kolasinski.

Maine releases hockey schedule

The University of Maine’s hockey team will play 10 regular season games against 2002-2003 NCAA Tournament teams and could meet two others in tournament play, including a match-up with two-time NCAA champ Minnesota.

Maine will open against Wisconsin at the Nebraska-Omaha tournament on Oct. 10 and will play either Minnesota or the host school the next night.

The Bears will open at home the following weekend in the Black Bear Classic against Sacred Heart (Conn.) and the United States Under-18 National Development Program team.

Maine, which will play 24 Hockey East regular season games, will attempt to defend its Florida Everblades Tournament title with Ohio State being their first round match-up on Dec. 27. Frozen Four team Cornell meets Notre Dame in the other semi.

Other non-league games will see the Bears host College Hockey America regular season champ Alabama-Huntsville for two and entertain Sacred Heart and Dartmouth for single games. The Bears will face Vermont in Portland on Jan. 4 and will travel to St. Lawrence for a pair on Oct. 24-25.