For the 8th time in their 9 years of existence, the UNB Men’s Baseball Team has won the Atlantic Conference Championship, the only hiccup coming last year when no playoff games were played and the league decided the regular season best record would be the representative.
UNB traveled to Cape Breton University on Saturday and won both games of a double header by scores of 12-9 and 11-1 sweeping the best of three series.
In game 1, UNB starting pitcher Jake Waugh, struggle throughout the game but managed 7 innings, giving up 9 runs on 12 hits while striking out 1. He dodged a bullet in the bottom of the seventh after CBU scored 2 runs to tie the game then loaded the bases with no outs. He induced Kyle Bursey to ground out on a fielder’s choice to third, then a come backer to the mound, to home then two first to end the inning. UNB then scored 3 runs in the top of the eighth and Ryan Corey came in to nail down the save. UNB fell behind in the first inning by a score of 2-0, came back to tie in the 2nd but promptly gave up 2 more runs in the bottom half of the inning. In the 3rd, Brad Lawson cashed in 3 runs with a line drive home run to left field. UNB never trailed again in the game. UNB scored 4 runs in the 5th when Phil Brown reached base on an error, Lawson was intentionally walked, Nick Cameron singled, Waugh single and Jacob Smith cashed in 2 with a double. After the game was tied in the 7th, Andrew MacLaggan lead off with a single, Lawson was intentionally walked, Jared Doyle was hit by a pitch then Cameron was hit as well forcing in the go ahead run, An error on a hard hit ball to short by Jake Waugh cashed in two more.
Ryan Corey, who earned the win, faced 5 batters giving up 1 single, hit one batter and struck out 1.
Jamie Williams from CBU took the loss picking up for Adam Shubinette. Jamie Williams had a single and home run for CBU
In game 2, UNB jumped out to an early lead and coasted from the 1st inning on posting an 11-1 score in the mercy-shortened game.
Ryan MacDonald earned the win going 5 innings, giving up 1 run on 6 hits, striking out 4 and walking 4. UNB scored a run in each of the first three innings, 4 in the fourth and 4 in the fifth to win the Championship. Tim Burns took the loss for CBU.
Andrew MacLaggan, Jacob Smith and Brad Lawson each had 2 singles, Phil Brown had a double, a single and was hit by a pitch, Ryan Corey and Jake Waugh each had singles and Mark MacNevin chipped in with a double.
UNB will be traveling this coming weekend to Ottawa to attend the CIBA-ABIC National Championship October 20-22.