The Northeastern Baseball team (45-9, 25-2 CAA) swept the North Carolina A&T Aggies (15-37, 9-18 CAA) in its final regular-season series this past weekend, extending its win streak to 24. The Huskies finished their season with a record-breaking 45 wins, the highest in program history.
Game one of their final three series ended with a 11-2 blowout win May 15.
The game started off slow, as the Huskies struck first in the fifth inning. Graduate student first baseman Alex Lane got on base after being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Senior third baseman Jack Doyle then hit a single up the middle, while Lane moved to second. Sophomore right fielder Ryan Gerety hit a sacrifice bunt to further advance the runners. Afterward, junior center fielder Cam Maldonado was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs. Redshirt junior left fielder Harrison Feinberg was responsible for the Huskies’ first run of the game, hitting an RBI single down the third baseline and scoring Lane. Junior shortstop Jack Goodman was up and came through with a single that scored both Doyle and Maldonado, increasing the Huskies’ lead to 3-0.
Graduate student starting left-handed pitcher Will Jones struck out eight batters in 5.1 scoreless innings against the Aggies, improving to a 10-0 record on the season. Junior right-handed reliever Charlie Walker then came onto the mound in the sixth, but gave up a two-run homer to center in the eighth, cutting the lead to 3-2.
Northeastern offense powered back in the bottom of the eighth as Maldonado led off with a walk and moved to second on a balk. Feinberg then hit a single to the shortstop and then stole second. Goodman notched his third hit of the day — a single to left — scoring both runners and extending the lead to 5-2.
Both junior designated hitter Matt Brinker and redshirt freshman catcher Will Fosberg hit singles back to back, putting two players in scoring position. Lane then smashed a single through the left side, scoring Brinker and Fosberg to make the lead 7-2.
Afterward, Doyle was hit by a pitch, allowing runners to advance, and Lane scored on a wild pitch by North Carolina. Gerety walked, and to blow the game open, Maldonado smacked a three-run bomb to left-center for the 11-2 lead.
To close out the game, senior right handed pitcher Brett Dunham pitched a smooth ninth inning with two strikeouts, extending the Huskies’ NCAA leading win streak to 22 consecutive games.
Northeastern secured the series on May 16 with an 8-6 win.
In the bottom of the first inning, Maldonado homered to left field to put the Huskies on top 1-0.
The Aggies struck back in the top of the fourth inning, leveling the score at 1-1. Redshirt freshman shortstop JT Taylor doubled down the left field line before being brought in by junior designated hitter Andrew Tinsley’s single.
Musacchia hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to give Northeastern the 2-1 lead.
In the top of the fifth inning, junior center fielder Nick DiCarlo singled and stole second to put a runner in scoring position for the Aggies. Redshirt sophomore first baseman Jason Campo singled to score DiCarlo and even the score once again.
The Huskies pulled ahead in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring six runs. Goodman and Feinberg walked to lead off the inning. Feinberg stole third base and was scored by Brinker’s single. Lane walked to load the bases for Bozzo, who then singled through the left side to bring in Goodman and Brinker. Gerety walked to load the bases, then Maldonado hit a bases-clearing double to put the team up 8-2.
Senior catcher Kristian Amaro singled to left field to lead off the inning. Amaro advanced to third by a single and fielder’s choice, and Campo grounded out to allow Amaro to score, bringing the team to an 8-3 lead. Freshman right fielder Bruce Wyche hit a two-run home run to put the Aggies within three runs, 8-5.
In the top of the eighth inning, the Aggies put a final run on the board, making the score 8-6. Tinsley doubled to left center field before advancing to third on a groundout. A sacrifice fly by Amaro brought Tinsley in.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Cooper McGrath struck out two batters and forced a groundout to secure Northeastern’s 8-6 victory.
For its final matchup against the Aggies, Northeastern won 12-0 in seven innings during the Jimmy Buffett- themed game.
Graduate left-handed pitcher Jordan Gottesman picked up the win, going five innings and only giving up one hit with nine strikeouts. Junior right-handed pitchers Joseph Hauser and James Morice came in as relief, each pitching an inning and only allowing one runner on base.
Scoring was a team effort, with eight players credited with RBIs: Feinberg went one-for-two with two RBIs and one walk, Gerety went one-for-one with an RBI and three walks, and Brinker went one-for-three with two RBIs. Goodman, sophomore third baseman and pinch hitter Chris Walsh, Musacchia, Doyle and Lane each added an RBI as well.
After Gottesman retired the side in the top of the first with two strikeouts, the Huskies were quick to get on the board. With two outs, a Feinberg walk and Goodman single put a runner in scoring position as Musacchia stepped up to the plate. Musacchia hit a double to knock in Feinberg. Brinker then hit a double to clear the bases and put the Huskies up 3-0 before the end of the inning.
After scoreless second and third innings, costly errors for the Aggies increased Northeastern’s lead. Doyle and Lane reached base on a hit-by-pitch and walk, respectively. On what should have been a sacrifice bunt for Bozzo, a throwing error put him on second and Lane on third, allowing Doyle to score. A sacrifice fly for Gerety increased the Huskies’ lead to 5-0. After Maldonado flied out to give the Huskies a runner on third with two outs, Feinberg hit a single through the left side to keep the inning alive. After Feinberg stole second, Goodman hit a single to center field to drive him in and put the Huskies up 7-0.
Although the fifth inning was uneventful, the bottom of the sixth was the Huskies’ best in terms of offense. After an immediate walk for Gerety and hit-by-pitch for Maldonado followed by a double steal, the Huskies had second and third with no outs. A sacrifice fly for Feinberg allowed Gerety to score, and a double for Walsh drove in Maldonado. A single for Musacchia put Walsh on third with one out, and a bad throw on a pickoff attempt scored Walsh and put Musacchia on second. With the Huskies up 10-0, freshman Eric Cha had a pinch hit double to put Musacchia on third. A single for Doyle scored Musacchia and put Cha on third before a pitching change for the Aggies. A single for Lane gave the Huskies’ their twelfth and final run before the end of the sixth.
Morice kept the top of the seventh scoreless, ending the game on mercy rule as the Huskies took their 45th win of the season, 12-0.
The Huskies are back in action May 22 for the CAA tournament in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Northeastern’s opponents have not been set yet for the double elimination first round.
