The Northeastern baseball team (14-12, 8-4 CAA) fell to the Hofstra University Pride (8-14, 4-5 CAA) in an away series on Long Island March 27 to 29. Each game was a close battle with the teams just edging each other out, but Hofstra took the weekend with two wins. 

Friday’s matchup was an extra inning thriller and the lowest scoring of the series as the Pride took a 5-4 win in 11 innings. 

The game began hitless until Northeastern’s bats came alive in the top of the fourth. After a walk for senior shortstop Carmelo Musacchia and a single for redshirt senior left fielder Harrison Feinberg, sophomore catcher Cooper Tarantino knocked a single through the right side of the infield to bring Musacchia home. This set Feinberg up at third, and after a throw to try and get a runner out, landed Tarantino on second with two outs. After falling in the count 1-2, redshirt freshman third baseman AJ Aschettino singled to center field to score Feinberg and Tarantino, putting the Huskies up 3-0.

Hofstra answered in the bottom of the inning with one run. After a walk and Hofstra’s first hit of the game put runners on the corners, a run scored on a double play groundout by sophomore right fielder Nick Gallello put the Pride on the board and cut the Huskies’ lead to 3-1. 

Hofstra scored again in the bottom of the fifth to make it a one-run game. After a bunt down to third base, Aschettino attempted to throw out the runner at first, but a bad throw put him on second with no outs. Two pitches later, a hit-by-pitch put runners on first and second, and the Pride hit a sacrifice bunt to move both into scoring position. An RBI groundout to second brought the score to 3-2 before another groundout ended the inning. 

Hofstra continued its slow erasure of the Huskies’ lead in the bottom of the sixth. On the first pitch of the at-bat, redshirt senior outfielder Tyler Cox homered to left field to tie the score at three. Despite another error by Aschettino, the Huskies managed to prevent any runs the rest of the inning. 

The bunt continued to hurt the Huskies into the bottom of the seventh. After a single from  junior third baseman Gabriel Melara, sophomore right-handed pitcher Andrew Basel came in to replace redshirt junior righty Robbie O’Connor, giving Hofstra its first lead of the game. 

A sacrifice bunt and a balk sent Melara to third, putting him in prime position to score with only one out. In the next at-bat, he did just that, as a single to short by junior shortstop Michael Brown was enough to get him home and put the Pride ahead 4-3. After a wild pitch put Brown on second, a fielding error by Musacchia put another runner on base, but luckily, Musacchia recovered and threw the ball home to get Brown out and halt the momentum. A stolen base put another Pride runner in scoring position, but a groundout ended the inning with minimal damage in what could have been an explosive inning for Hofstra. 

In the top of the eighth, Northeastern finally ended its scoreless drought. Junior centerfielder Ryan Gerety led off the inning with a single before a double by senior designated hitter Matt Brinker put him on third. After a Hofstra pitching change, a walk for Tarantino and a fielder’s choice for Aschettino loaded the bases. A walk for sophomore right fielder Carter Bentley sent Brinker home and led to another pitching change for Hofstra. Unfortunately, a lineout for redshirt freshman first baseman Anthony Ruggiero left all three runners stranded. 

For the first time since the third, the Huskies held the Pride scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, and a scoreless ninth sent the game to extra innings. The game remained stagnant until the 11th inning.

In the top of the 11th, the Huskies were given a golden opportunity with a walk, an error and a hit-by-pitch that left bases loaded. Unfortunately, a lineout with the bases loaded on a 3-1 count ended the half of the inning and sent the teams into the bottom of the 11th, when a single and a sacrifice bunt put a Hofstra runner on second with one out. On a 1-0 count, Brown singled to right field to walk it off and hand the Huskies a 5-4 loss. 

Northeastern earned its only win of the weekend in a 12-11 contest March 28. 

The Huskies started off strong in the top of the first inning, jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Musacchia led off, being walked before advancing to second on Gerety’s hit-by-pitch. Both runners advanced to second and third on a wild pitch before Feinberg brought them in with a double. 

Hofstra struck back in the bottom of the first inning and took control of the lead. Brown walked and was advanced to second on a bunt by graduate student outfielder JJ DeVito. After a walk, Gallello doubled to score two runs. Graduate student infielder Danny Corona hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a third run and make the score 3-2.  

In the top of the second, junior second baseman Chris Walsh walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Bentley then reached first after being hit by a pitch. Fosberg bunted to third to put two runners in scoring position. Musacchia was hit by a pitch to bring in a run before Gerety was walked to bring in another run, putting the Huskies up once again, 4-3. 

A third lead change occurred in the bottom of the second inning. Sophomore catcher Nick Biddle and Brown led off with consecutive singles to put two on for the Pride. A sacrifice bunt by DeVito put runners on second and third. A groundout by Cox scored Biddle and advanced Brown to third before sophomore catcher Griggs doubled to center field to give his team a 5-4 lead. 

Northeastern regained the lead in the top of the fourth inning, 6-5. Gerety doubled to left center field, and Brinker was hit by a pitch to put two on. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and freshman second baseman Charlie Criscola singled through the right side of the infield to score Gerety and Brinker. 

In the top of the fifth inning, the Huskies extended their lead to 7-5. Bentley doubled down the right field line and was advanced to second by a sacrifice bunt from Fosberg. A fielder’s choice single by Musacchia brought in Bentley. 

Hofstra cut the game down to one run in the bottom of the fifth inning. Melara singled before a fielder’s choice, and a double brought him across the plate to bring the score to 7-6. 

The Pride blew the game open with an offensive onslaught in the bottom of the sixth inning, causing two pitching changes for Northeastern. Two hit-by-pitches and a walk loaded the bases for sophomore pinch hitter and outfielder Michael Craig, who hit an infield single to score Griggs. A sacrifice fly and a walk brought two more runs across the plate and loaded the bases once again. Cox singled to left field to score sophomore second baseman George Holt and Brown and make the score 11-7.

Not to be outdone, the Huskies put up four runs in the top of the seventh inning to even the score at 11-11. Bentley led off with a double to right center field, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a groundout. Gerety walked and reached third on the back of a single by Feinberg before Brinker doubled down the left field line to bring in the two runners. Finally, Tarantino singled to left field to score Brinker.

In the top of the eighth inning, a poor pitching performance gave Northeastern the winning run. With two outs, Fosberg walked and made it to second on a wild pitch. Musacchia walked, and Gerety was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Feinberg walked to bring in the 23rd run of the game, putting his team up 12-11. 

After two successful defensive innings, Northeastern claimed its victory. 

The Huskies hoped to bring Saturday’s momentum into Sunday to take the series win, but Northeastern lost its footing and fell to the Pride 11-10.

Hofstra got on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning. Brown singled up the middle and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Griffin struck out the next batter for the Pride before the Northeastern defense got a second player out. However, Griggs broke through the defense, hitting a single to left field, where Brown scored from second base.  

The Pride shut down the Huskies’ offense before scoring two more in the bottom of the second. 

Melara doubled to right field before returning to home plate on a single by freshman designated hitter Daniel Escalante. The freshman then advanced to third base on a fielding error by Bentley. Although Brown grounded out, courtesy of Musacchia to Brinker, Escalante scored the third run for the Pride. 

Northeastern finally got on the board in the top of the third. Walsh doubled to deep center field on the first pitch he saw before scoring on a Gerety double. 

Hofstra continued its scoring streak in the bottom of the inning. Cox singled before advancing to third base on Gallello’s single to right center. On Corona’s single, Cox scored to make the score 4-1. 

The fourth inning was the only one inning so far with no runs by either team. 

The Huskies added a run to cut the deficit in half in the top of the fifth. 

Gerety walked before advancing to second base on a Feinberg groundout. Brinker then walked, putting Huskies on second and first base. Aschettino singled to the right side of the infield, bringing Gerety home and Brinker to third. However, Tarantino grounded out, ending the inning. 

Before the bottom of the inning, the Huskies replaced Griffin with sophomore right-handed pitcher Andrew Rogovic. 

The Huskies found their swing in the top of the sixth, earning six runs to take the lead. 

The inning started with a double from Bentley. Walsh then doubled to left center to bring Bentley home. Hofstra changed its pitcher from senior righty Sean Hamilton to senior left-handed pitcher Jackson Bauer. 

Gerety then walked before advancing to second base with Walsh going to third on a Feinberg walk. Brinker hit a home run to deep left field, bringing home Walsh, Gerety and Feinberg for the Huskies’ first grand slam of the season. 

Aschettino singled before advancing to second base, then scored from second on a Bentley single. Hofstra got Tarantino out at third base, ending the inning 8-4.  

The Pride quickly bounded back with Escalante hitting a home run to deep center field in the first at-bat of the inning. 

Both defenses shut down the entirety of the seventh inning to keep the score 8-5.

In the top of the eighth, Feinberg hit a homer to deep left field to add another run for Northeastern, but none of the other Huskies who came to bat could add to the lead. 

In the bottom of the eighth inning, Holt doubled before advancing to third on a groundout by Brown. DeVito hit a sacrifice fly ball to bring Holt back to home plate to narrow the scoreboard. Cox then hit a home run to right center to end the inning 9-7. 

In the top of the ninth, Feinberg earned his 26 RBI of the season off a sacrifice fly to send Musacchia home and advance Gerety to third. After Brinker was intentionally walked and advanced to second, putting runners on second and third, Aschettino struck out swinging, leading the game into a save opportunity for Northeastern with a three-run lead. 

On the mound, Northeastern replaced Rogovic with sophomore right-hander Andrew Basel. 

Craig singled before advancing to second on Melara’s fielder’s choice. Escalante singled to center field, bringing Craig to home plate and moving Melara to third base. 

After this, Northeastern brought in graduate student right-handed pitcher Matthew Sapienza for Basel. Hofstra also brought in substitutes, sophomore infielder Tyler Castrataro to pinch hit for Holt and redshirt freshman outfielder Giovanni Bausone to pinch run for Escalante. 

Castrataro was hit by a pitch, bringing Bausone to second base. Brown grounded out to first base, but it brought Melara back to home and advanced Bausone and Castrataro to third and second, respectively. 

DeVito and Cox both walked. On Cox’s walk, Bausone scored while Castrataro moved to third and DeVito to second. 

Griggs singled to bring Castrataro home, ending the game 11-10 and handing Northeastern its first series loss to Hofstra in three years. 

Northeastern will look to bounce back against University of Connecticut (14-15, 2-1 Big East) March 31 at 2:30 p.m. at Friedman Diamond.