By Max Lederman

The Northeastern baseball team’s performance paid huge dividends this weekend.

By being the first team ever to win the America East Conference championship as a No. 4 seed, the Huskies fittingly earned another underdog chance. They head to Baton Rouge to visit baseball powerhouse Louisiana State University in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Northeastern knows that its matchup with top-seeded LSU, to be held Friday, May 30 at 3:30 p.m., will be difficult. The Tigers boast a 40-19-1 overall record and have been national champions five times in the past 12 years, the last one coming in 2000.

“We know that they are a powerhouse, and I heard they have the highest attendance in the nation,” Czarnowski said. “We’re not intimidated, because we know we have the talent to compete.”

From day one, the goal for the Huskies was to get back to the conference tournament and win it. With that accomplished, the bar is set higher.

“Obviously we are going to be nervous,” Ryan said. “But I think everyone is going to be pumped once the game starts.”

Ryan, who transferred from Providence, is the only Husky player to have experienced a regional game.

“I went to regionals with Providence and it was amazing,” added the co-captain. “My goal was for all of my teammates to get that experience and I’m so happy they now have the opportunity.”

NU will start Justin Hedrick, who finished the season with a 7-1 record, a 2.63 ERA and 88 strikeouts. He also had seven complete games.

“I’m just going to throw my game,” Hedrick said. “Make them hit my pitches.”

Still, Northeastern realizes the magnitude of the challenge that faces them.

“We approach this very realistically, but this is our time to shine and we really have nothing to lose,” McPhee added. “Anything from now on is just icing on the cake, but the record shows that when you get on a roll, it builds up confidence, and right now we are definitely on a roll.”

Much of that momentum, and the team’s success over the span of the year, can be contributed to the two seniors, Omar Pena and Brendan Ryan.

“The two of them have done so much for this program over the years,” said McPhee of his seniors. “For them to leave this program with a championship is just a great feeling that they will have and take with them.”

Regardless of the outcome, this roller coaster season has already cemented its place in school annals.