By Jessica Geller, News Correspondent
Northeastern’s weekend series win at Villanova University highlighted the baseball team’s ability to bounce back from consecutive losses and utilize versatile players.
Sophomore Michael Foster led off Friday afternoon with a walk and stole second, his seventh steal of the season. He moved to third on a ground out and came home on a wild pitch. He stole his eighth bag later in the series.
Foster attributes his base path smarts to his knack for reading opposing pitchers.
“It not only helps us be better hitters, it helps us on defense and the base paths as well,” Foster said. “When I’m on base I’m constantly trying to see a pitcher’s ‘tells’ or other small giveaways so I can steal more bases,”
Assistant coach Mike Glavine recongized the muli-talented players Northeastern has this season.
“[Foster] has done a great job for us at second base and on the mound,” Glavine said. “We have a lot of guys that are very versatile and it helps with their injuries or guys that aren’t playing well. It helps, really, to be able to get them into the game.”
Northeastern’s lead didn’t last long as Villanova tied it in the bottom of the frame and increased their lead to 4-1 after five innings. The Wildcats claimed an 8-3 victory by game’s end.
Needing a bounce back win on Saturday, senior pitcher Chris Carmain got the call.
“Saturday is a make or break game in my opinion,” Foster said. “Winning Saturday means going into Sunday with confidence. That’s why we have a guy like Chris Carmain as our Saturday starter. He’s our go-to guy on a day where you need wins.”
Carmain pitched to the expectations, allowing just two runs, one earned, through six innings. He improved to 3-2 on the season with seven strikeouts, one shy of tying his career high.
Northeastern’s offense also helped Carmain. Senior outfielder Connor Lyons led off the first with a double. He scored the first run on freshman catcher Gabe Levanti’s single. One out later, senior outfielder Brad Burcroff was hit by a pitch. With runners on first and second, Villanova’s defense got sloppy and Levanti scored an unearned run. Sophomore infielder Shane Allen’s RBI ground out scored Burcroff and put Northeastern ahead 3-0.
Burcroff is another Husky who has shown success as a pitcher and as a hitter early in the season.
“[Pitching] not only helps us be better hitters, it helps us on defense and the base paths as well,” Foster said. “I think you can see the effect of it in the success that [Burcroff] has been having this year.”
Northeastern added a run in the fourth when Levanti was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. In the seventh, freshman catcher Nick Fanneron’s RBI double scored junior infielder Jason Vosler to give Northeastern the 5-2 win.
In the rubber match, Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week freshman pitcher Dustin Hunt got the start. Hunt (2-0) struck out eight batters in his six-plus innings of work. Burcroff came on in relief in the seventh and allowed the inherited runner to score the Wildcats’ lone run.
On offense, Foster again revealed his speed. In the fourth inning, Foster hit a double. He then stole third, his team-leading eighth steal. Allen’s ground ball to third got Foster out at home. Freshman Pat Madigan put the Huskies ahead for good with a two-out two-RBI single to score Vosler and sophomore Mike Piscopo.
The Huskies manufactured insurance runs in the eighth inning, taking advantage of two consecutive errors by Villanova. Foster’s RBI single scored Connor Lyons. Vosler’s sacrifice fly scored Levanti from third.
Foster’s day was not over yet. He closed out the game, earning his third save on the season.
“I was brought in by Coach McPhee as a two way guy and I try to fill that role as best as I can,” Foster said. “I’ve always played and pitched growing up and I’m happy that the coaches believe in my abilities and trust me in both roles. Being able to be versatile lets the team have more options and give us a greater chance of winning.”
Northeastern finished the series at 9-10, its best mark on the season.
“The confidence seems to be a lot better now and we’re starting to believe in what we’re doing,” Glavine said. “We got off to a slow start and that can hurt your confidence a little bit, but after three wins last week at home and two this weekend and now another big win today, I think the confidence is where it needs to be.”
