Husson can still host NAC tourney

The Husson College baseball team has lost five in a row. Two of those losses came in a pivotal North Atlantic Conference doubleheader Saturday against visiting Castleton State (Vt.), 7-5 and 9-5.

Even though the Eagles can’t finish higher than second, they can host the four-team NAC Tournament if they sweep Saint Joseph’s College of Standish today at the Winkin Baseball Complex in Bangor. The doubleheader begins at 3:30 p.m.

Castleton State split with Saint Joseph’s on Sunday and is 10-2 in the conference. The Spartans will be the top seed based on the tie-breaking procedure but they didn’t submit a request to host the tournament, according to Husson athletic director Gabby Price, the chairman of the NAC baseball committee.

Saint Joseph’s (8-2 NAC) and Husson (6-4) did express interest in hosting it and one of them will earn the second seed. The Monks need one win today to host while Husson must sweep.

Even though a Husson sweep would leave the teams tied with the same NAC record, Husson would earn the second seed by winning the first tiebreaker, which is head-to-head games.

The University of Maine-Farmington, thanks to back-to-back sweeps of Becker and Elms last weekend, is fourth seed with a 5-7 NAC record.

“With all the things that have happened this year, it’s nice to have a chance to host the tournament. We would relish the opportunity,” said Winkin. “This would be the climax to the end of the year.”

Winkin has lost ace righthander Bob Webber indefinitely due to arm trouble and closer Jon Tefft has left the team for personal reasons.

“Our pitching depth, which had been a strength, has been somewhat diminished,” said Winkin, who will start sophomore lefthander Chad Lavway of Presque Isle and junior righthander Andrew Patterson of Brewer against the Monks, who are 26-7 overall.

Husson is 11-19 overall.

Winkin called Will Sanborn’s Saint Joseph’s club explosive and that is validated by its .326 batting average.

Saint Joseph’s will probably send freshmen Kyle Dorr and Andrew Keirstead to the mound although senior Ben Cutter is another possibility.

NAC softball tourney starts today

The University of Maine-Farmington softball team has grabbed the top seed in the East Division for the North Atlantic Conference tournament, which opens today with first-round games.

The East No. 1 Beavers (13-7, 9-1 in conference) host West No. 4 Lesley College of Cambridge, Mass., (17-12, 7-5) at 3:30 p.m. UMF sewed up the top spot Saturday with a sweep of Becker College.

Husson of Bangor (13-19, 8-2) earned the No. 2 seed in the East and hosts West No. 3 Castleton State of Castleton, Vt., (16-8, 9-3) today at 4 p.m.

The East No. 3 seed went to Thomas of Waterville (11-17, 7-3) which travels to Chicopee, Mass., to take on West No. 2 Elms (14-11, 9-3). Maine Maritime Academy of Castine (4-15, 3-7) picked up the East No. 4 seed and faces the top seed in the West Division, Lasell of Auburndale, Mass. (23-12, 11-1).

The remaining four teams will be reseeded after today’s games and will advance to Friday’s second-round action at the home field of the highest remaining seed. The tournament continues Saturday with the championship set Sunday.