Coming off a huge win over Louisiana State University, Northeastern baseball (5-7, 2-1 CAA) started conference play by defeating Stony Brook Seawolves (2-11, 1-2 CAA) in two of the three games March 6 to 8.
On March 6, the Huskies swept the Seawolves 4-0. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Robbie O’Connor started the game, pitching seven innings and only allowing two hits. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Andrew Basel finished the game for Northeastern, pitching two innings and not allowing any hits.
The first run was scored in the second inning. Sophomore catcher Cooper Tarantino reached first base on a throwing error by redshirt junior shortstop Aidyn Coffey. Tarantino then stole second and third before junior second baseman Chris Walsh hit a sacrifice flyball to right field, bringing Tarantino to home plate.
In the fourth inning, sophomore first baseman Eric Cha walked to first base. After redshirt freshman third baseman AJ Aschettino struck out swinging, Tarantino walked, and Cha advanced to second. On a balk, Tarantino and Cha both advanced to second and third, respectively. After Walsh struck out, the Seawolves changed their pitcher from senior Micah Worley to junior Ty Panariello. Cha scored on a wild pitch, while Tarantino got caught at third base.
Walsh scored the third run for Northeastern in the seventh inning, singling to center field and advancing to second base on senior shortstop Carmelo Musacchia’s single to left field. Feinberg earned a fielder’s choice, where Musacchia got caught at second base and Walsh ran home on a throwing error by senior second baseman Johnny Pilla.
The final run came in the ninth inning, with Tarantino scoring his second RBI of the night. Freshman right-handed pitcher Reilly Bridges replaced Panariello at the top of the inning, but Tarantino hit a triple to right center. Walsh singled to center field, bringing Tarantino home and ending the game 4-0.
The game on March 7 bled into the next day due to darkness on the field. It was a 13 inning game, but the Huskies stayed strong, winning 4-3.
Northeastern had five pitchers on the board for the game, with senior right-handed pitcher Luc Rising starting. Rising pitched for six innings, giving up two hits and one run and striking out nine batters. Graduate student right-handed pitcher Matthew Sapienza was on the mound for 2.1 innings, letting up two hits, two runs and two errors while striking out two batters.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Andrew Rogovic took the next two innings, striking out one player and giving up zero hits or runs. Junior right-handed pitcher Nick Coniglio pitched 0.2 innings, recording one hit conceded and one strikeout. Finally, senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Griffin pitched for two innings and struck out two batters.
The Huskies got on the board first in the top of the second, courtesy of a home run by redshirt freshman designated hitter Anthony Ruggiero.
Stony Brook tied it up in the bottom of the inning with a homer of its own by freshman right fielder Nicholas Dromboski.
Northeastern bounced back in the fourth inning when Cha singled to center field, then advanced to second on an Aschettino walk. Both players advanced to their next respective bases on a wild pitch. After Walsh struck out, Fosberg singled to center field, sending Aschettino and Cha to home base to make the score 3-1.
It wasn’t until the ninth inning when the Seawolves found themselves back at home plate. Junior first baseman Chris Carson doubled to center field, advancing to third base when Dromboski grounded out to second base. After a hit by pitch on sophomore center fielder Nick Zampieron, Coniglio replaced Sapienza. However, this didn’t slow down Stony Brook.
Sophomore third baseman James Schaffer singled to center field, advancing Zampieron to third and sending Carson home. Schaffer then stole second. Coniglio walked Coffey, then Pilla. Pilla’s walk sent Coffey to second, Schaffer to third and Zampieron home. A fly ball to center field ended the inning score tied at three.
Northeastern found a win in the 13th inning. Sophomore right fielder Carter Bentley was hit by a pitch, sending him to first. Ruggiero then singled to the right side, advancing Bentley to second. Bentley advanced to third on a hit from Cha, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Aschettino.
The Huskies ended the game with no hits from Stony Brook at the bottom of the inning.
Graduate student right-handed pitcher Andrew Wertz pitched for five innings, striking out three batters while giving up five hits and three runs. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Joseph Hauser followed, giving up zero runs and hits while striking out two Seawolves.
Senior right-handed pitcher Carson Walsh gave up two runs and one hit, failing to record an out. In his solo inning, Basel also did not strike out any batters and also gave Stony Brook a run and a hit. Redshirt senior right-handed pitcher Ryan McCarroll struck out one batter while giving up a run and a hit in 1.2 innings pitched.
Northeastern failed to earn the sweep of the Seawolves March 8, losing 7-6.
Like in the past two games, Northeastern got on the scoreboard first, but this time in the first inning.
Junior outfielder Ryan Gerety walked to first base and advanced to second on a throwing error by senior right-handed pitcher Matthew Canizares. Senior designated hitter Matt Brinker doubled to left center, sending Gerety home.
Stony Brook quickly bounced back, tying the game in the bottom of the inning with a home run by junior left fielder Matthew Jackson.
For the first time of the series, Stony Brook took the lead. In the third inning, Jackson was hit by a pitch, placing him on first. Pilla doubled down the right field line, giving Jackson his second run of the day.
The Seawolves widened their gap in the fifth. Junior catcher Scott Gell hit a double down the left field line. He advanced to second on a Coffey single. Although Dromboski got caught at first, Gell added the third run to Stony Brook’s score.
In the next inning, Cha homered to left field, bringing the scoreboard to 3-2. The Huskies continued this success into the seventh inning.
Tarantino singled to center field before advancing to second on a wild pitch. After Feinberg was intentionally walked, Gerety singled to advance Feinberg to third and Tarantino the run, tying the game. But the Huskies weren’t finished. Brinker hit a double to send both Gerety and Feinberg back to home plate, giving Northeastern a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Gell hit a home run to add another point for the Seawolves. Coffey then notched a hit-by-pitch and advanced to third on a Dromboski double. Jackson grounded out to Musacchia, but Dromboski moved to third, and Coffey scored to tie the game once again. Carson hit a sacrifice fly to bring Dromboski back to home base, putting Stony Brook in the lead.
Northeastern fought hard to try and earn back its lead. In the ninth inning, Feinberg singled and moved to second off a walk by Gerety. Brinker’s single gave Feinberg the equalizer run, but the Huskies failed to shut down the Seawolves in the bottom of the inning. Jackson hit a home run to right center to hand Stony Brook the win and, ultimately, spoil Northeastern’s sweep.
The Huskies will take a break from conference play for the next game with a match against the Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils (4-2, 3-0 Northeast Conference) in Connecticut March 11 at 3 p.m.
