Kimball shuts down Husson, St. Joe’s wins title

STANDISH ? Saint Joseph’s senior lefthander Greg Kimball couldn’t have picked a better time to throw a gem.

Kimball scattered eight hits and allowed just an unearned run to lead the Monks to a 7-1 victory over Husson College of Bangor in their North Atlantic Conference Tournament championship game at Larry Mahaney Diamond.

St. Joseph’s, 32-9, will await news of a possible NCAA or ECAC Tournament berth. Husson finished up at 25-17.

“This has to be my best game of the year,” said Kimball, who picked up his second win of the tourney and was named the Most Valuable Player. “Even if I didn’t pitch that well, just winning the NAC championship and beating Husson, a rival for us, makes it the best no matter what happens.

“I was hitting my spots pretty much, especially in the middle innings. I started hitting my spots real well,” said Kimball. “My curveball was breaking real sharp so that always helps.”

He struck out seven and walked two while throwing 79 strikes among his 123 pitches. Kimball was at his best in the clutch as he held the Eagles hitless (0-for-8) with men in scoring position.

“That was the best game he’s pitched all year,” said senior catcher Jake Rodden, whose three singles and two RBIs paced the offense. “All season, his velocity [on his fastball] dipped down to 81 [miles-an-hour]. I’d say he was back up around 84-85 today. He had great command.”

“He threw an excellent game,” said Husson sophomore third baseman Adam Sheehan. “His breaking ball was a lot better than when we saw him earlier this season.”

“He kept the ball down and mixed up his pitches well,” agreed Husson senior catcher Billy Kane. “We had a couple of scoring chances early that we didn’t capitalize on. We made a couple of mistakes in the field and they took advantage of them.”

Husson scored its run in the first inning on singles by Jason Harvey and Justin Spencer, an error and Sean Brawn’s RBI fielder’s choice.

But Ben Muniz, playing in just his third game after returning from a broken ankle that sidelined him for seven weeks, answered in the bottom of the first by pulling a two-out, two-run homer over the 320-foot mark in right field off starter and loser Mike Cowperthwaite.

“Coach [Will Sanborn] told me before the game he was putting me in the four slot because he still thought I was one of the better hitters on the team,” said Muniz. “He said if I got a fastball, just swing. Don’t even think about it. So the first pitch was a fastball, I just swung and it went.”

Husson loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the second but Shawn Henderson bounced into a 1-2-3 double play and, after he hit Aaron Brideau with a pitch, Kimball struck out Harvey with three fastballs.

Henderson said Kimball “jammed me” with an inside curve that produced the double play grounder.

“We lost momentum there,” said Husson coach John Winkin.

Three costly errors helped St. Joseph’s score its final five runs.

In the bottom of the second, singles by Aaron Cieslak and Rodden and Cowperthwaite’s throwing error on Brian Schools’ sacrifice produced a run.

In the third, a one-out walk and Luke Enman’s single set the stage for a two-run rally.

Cieslak struck out and Charlie Furbush, the lead runner on a double steal, would have been out by plenty at third but Kane’s on-target throw glanced off Sheehan’s glove. Furbush scored and Rodden singled home Enman.

“I got a little excited and tried to make the tag before I caught the ball,” said Sheehan.

Rodden and Schools singled home fifth-inning runs after Henderson threw away a potential inning-ending double play grounder.

In addition to Rodden’s three hits, Muniz had a single to go with his homer and Enman singled twice.

Kyle Mathieu and Kane had two singles each for Husson.

“Their kid pitched a good game and they’re a good team. You’ve got to give them credit,” said Winkin.