SNHU baseball team headed back to World Series
May 31—The Southern New Hampshire University baseball team is headed back to a familiar place: the Division II World Series in Cary, N.C.
The Penmen (46-10) punched their ticket on Sunday and learned they will be facing Angelo State of San Angelo, Texas, in their World Series opener this coming Sunday afternoon (1:30 p.m.). SNHU is seeded No. 4 in the eight-team, double-elimination tournament, which begins Saturday. Angelo State (50-12), the South Central Super Regional champ, is seeded fifth.
The World Series appearance will mark the fourth for the Penmen under head coach Scott Loiseau. Previous trips came in 2012, 2018 and last season.
SNHU advanced by outlasting Molloy College in a best-of-three East Super Regional. The Penmen won the rubber game, 7-3 on Sunday at Franklin Pierce University.
Once again, homers played a key role. Cristian Mercedes and Sam Henrie went deep for the Penmen; Henrie's was his 14th of the season, tying the program record set by Goffstown's Dakota Mulcay last season. Mercedes has a team-leading 22 multi-hit games this season.
SNHU as a team keeps breaking its own program record for homers. The Penmen have now hit 79, breaking the record of 56.
Grad student Taylor Lepard of Toronto pitched seven effective innings to earn the win on Sunday. The right-hander allowed five hits and all three runs (two earned), while walking three and striking out three.
First-round games
Saturday: No. 3 Southern Arkansas vs. No. 6 Rollins, 1:30 p.m.; No. 2 Point Loma vs. No. 7 Illinois Springfield, 6 p.m.
Sunday: No. 4 SNHU vs. No. 5 Angelo State, 1:30 p.m.; No. 1 North Greenville vs. No. 8 West Chester, 6 p.m.
