HOUSTON – HBU opened up the game with a four-run third, then put away LIU Brooklyn by erupting for eight runs in the sixth for a 14-1, run-rule victory in the non-conference baseball series finale Saturday afternoon at Husky Field.
Senior centerfielder
Zane Otten, who returned from an injured thumb yesterday, went 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, two RBIs and scored three times for the Huskies (7-4). Senior rightfielder
Brandon Brintz delivered two bases-loaded doubles, finishing the day 2-for-4 with four RBIs and a run. Freshman third baseman
Elijah Simon doubled and drove in three, while junior shortstop
Tyler Depreta-Johnson went 2-for-3, walked and scored a run. Senior designated hitter
Joe Van Marter doubled, drove in a run and scored twice, and junior leftfielder
Spencer Halloran scored a pair of runs. Sophomore infielder
Kendrick Holmes, went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice, a walk, an RBI and a run in his first career start.
Sophomore righthander
Zach Carter (3-0) allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts and a walk in 6.0 innings, while sophomore
JT Newton finished off the game with a perfect seventh.
Andrew Turner doubled and Joe Mercadante went 1-for-3 and scored the lone run for the Blackbirds (3-6).
Nick Freijomil (1-2) gave up eight runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks in five innings, while Matt Ornstein and William Jackson allowed three runs each in the sixth.
Halloran led off the first with a walk, then scored on Otten's triple to leftcenter. Otten came home on junior first baseman
Jake Pulcheon's sacrifice fly to give the Huskies a 2-0 lead.
LIU Brooklyn loaded the bases with no outs in the third, but scored its run on a double play, then Carter got a groundout to end the inning.
HBU batted around in the bottom half of the inning, with Otten starting the rally with a bunt single. He scored on an RBI single by Van Marter, then Brintz doubled to rightcenter with the bases loaded. Holmes followed with an RBI single, his first career RBI, to put the Huskies ahead, 6-1.
Junior second baseman
Jack Fitzgerald and Depreta-Johnson led off the sixth with back-to-back singles, then Halloran reached on a fielder's choice and a throwing error allowed Depreta-Johnson to score. Otten doubled down the leftfield line to drive in another run and pinch hitter
Cody Marshall walked with the bases loaded. Brintz came through with another double to drive in two, and Simon cleared the bases with a double, his first career hit and RBIs, to make the score 14-1.
The Huskies return to action next weekend with a three-game series at Kansas Friday through Sunday in Lawrence. Friday's opener begins at 3 p.m., followed by Saturday's game at 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale with a 1 p.m. start. The Legacy Sports Network audio broadcast with
Russ Reneau will be available for all three games on HBUHuskies.com.
