Folsom helps Braves to top seeding Sunrise Conference tourney starts Thursday

BANGOR – Millinocket’s Jason Folsom has played five different positions for the Husson College Braves this season.

He is also one of the captains and leads the Braves in runs batted in with 33.

Senior Folsom and the Braves will host the three-team Sunrise Conference tournament beginning Thursday at the John Winkin Baseball Complex.

Fisher College (Mass.), 26-18 and the second seed, will take on third seed Lyndon State, 9-16, in Thursday’s 2 p.m. opener.

Top seed Husson, 24-15, will play the loser at 6 p.m. in the first night game ever at the Winkin Complex.

Husson will face Thursday’s first-game winner at 2 p.m. Friday. There will be another game at 6 and an if necessary championship game will be played Saturday at 6.

With fellow captain Josh Ferguson sidelined by a knee injury, Folsom will play an even more pivotal role.

“He’s the focal point of the team,” said Husson first-year coach John Winkin. “In many ways, it has been his team. He’s a dynamic leader.”

Folsom said it will be important for the Braves to get “good pitching and manufacture runs. We’ve played well defensively. We didn’t manufacture runs against Fisher last Sunday.”

Fisher swept Husson 3-2, 2-0 after Husson had swept the Falcons on Saturday 6-5 in 10 innings and 5-3.

Folsom led the Braves a year ago with a .391 average, four homers and 36 RBIs and he is hoping to deliver in the tourney.

“I’m seeing the ball pretty well. I’ve got to keep my weight back and drive the ball the other way,” said Folsom.

He said he hasn’t had as good a year as he would have liked but has been “very happy” with his career.

“I’ve exceeded my expectations,” said Folsom. “I’ve increased my average each year [until this season].

“I have no complaints at all. I’ve had great coaching, great teammates and a great school to play for,” added Folsom.

He also said he has played on a “great field” the last two seasons.

“We used to joke about the field my freshman year. Now it’s unbelievable. And I’m glad we get to play in the first night game,” said Folsom referring to the dramatic transformation from a mediocre grass field with virtually no seating to a facility with 3,000 seats, lights and FieldTurf.

Husson has also been led by CF Justin Spencer (.431, 4 homers, 29 RBIs), 3B Kyle Mathieu (.421, 1 homer, 32 RBIs) and LF Aaron Brideau (.407) along with RF Chris McInnis (.344).

Travis Tripp (7-2, 4.90 earned run average), Mike Cowperthwaite (5-4, 4.41), Chris Sargent (3-3, 2.77) and Bob Webber (3-1, 5.14) anchor the pitching staff.

Fisher has been transformed from a 10-24 team into a 26-win club this season under third-year coach Scott Dulin.

Freshman first baseman Alfredo Torres (.371, 23 RBIs), CF Pat Gaffney (.341, 30 runs), LF Juan Williams (.359 22 runs). 2B Victor Joaquin (.323, 16 RBIs) and DH Mike Dunton (.308, 30 RBIs) have sparked Fisher along with pitchers Luis Lara (4-2, 2.75), Jarlin Gomez (4-5, 3.88), Ken Olisky (5-2, 3.80) and closer Brian Dunton (2-0, 3 saves, 2.25).

“We’ve got to continue to get good pitching and good defense and our bats need to come alive a little more,” said Dulin.

Skip Pound’s Lyndon State’s Hornets feature 1b Nick Merrill (.402-3-16 RBIs), C Travis Casey (.368-3-31), LF Mike Swan (.314), CF Adrian Guyer (.269, 16 RBIs) and 2B Matt Durso (25 stolen bases).

Joe Parrotte (3-3) and Tim Feerick (2-3) lead the pitching staff.

Senior standout Greg Rose, Lyndon State’s second-leading hitter (.382, 22 RBIs) and No. 2 pitcher, won’t play for disciplinary reasons.

“Husson and Fisher have the upper hand. But we’re very young and we have nothing to lose,” said Pound.