The SNHU baseball team captured their second successive NE10 championship at Assumption University on Saturday, May 14. The win tallied the program’s fourth overall NE10 title. This team has had success ever since head skipper, Scott Loiseau, took the helm.
Winning back-to-back championships is no small feat with the level of competition in the NE10; Loiseau says the veteran presence on the team contributed to their success. “They’re a veteran group and came together nicely,” said Loiseau. “They work really hard and are resilient; we haven’t had a field all year and they were able to move past it. They prepare every day and work hard.”
The Penmen hadn’t faced much adversity on the road to winning the final, but in the first championship game, they took a loss to Assumption. However, with the double-elimination format, Assumption had to beat SNHU twice to take the title, which they were unable to do when the SNHU bats came alive in the second game.
“We didn’t play well the first game. It was a tight game and guys were battling, but we made a mistake and they got a big two-run home run. It was a little too much for us and the second game we just played better,” said Loiseau.
The core of the Penmen lineup has experienced the big moments, which proved to play a major factor during their championship run. “These guys have played in a lot of big games, they have experience, and have played a lot together, positionally,” said Loiseau. “The pitching is older and has really come together nicely. It’s hard to win those tournaments and I feel the experience really becomes a factor especially when the games are tight.”
The Penmen now head to Wilmington, Delaware, to compete for the Regional title; Loiseau and his team are ready for the challenge. “It’s not going to be easy to win the Regional or the Super Regional, but I think we got guys who will just play and not feel the pressure of the moment, said Loiseau. “I’m excited to watch them play.”
