Ben Beck hit a dramatic, three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to erase a one-run deficit and give the Huskies a crucial 8-6 victory over Hofstra in NU's final home game of the season. The victory moves the Huskies into a tie for the fourth and final playoff spot in the America East Conference. Jordan Thomson pitched a complete game for the Huskies, and hit his own dramatic, two-run game-tying home run in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
Hofstra took an early lead, using a pair of singles from John Rodriguez and Joe Farley to take a 1-0 edge after one inning. The Huskies would tie the game in the bottom of the third inning when Hofstra starter Ryan Constantino walked four straight Huskies to knot the game at one.
Hofstra would again take the lead in the top of the fourth when Jake Soviero homered to put Hofstra up by a score of 2-1.
NU again rallied to tie the game when Hernan Guerrero doubled home Brad Czarnowski to tie it 2-2.
Hofstra used five hits in the top of the seventh inning to pull ahead of the Huskies by a count of 5-2.
Hofstra Coach Reginald Jackson then went to the bullpen and called on closer Zachary Basch to close out the Huskies. Beck led off for the Huskies and drew a walk, and after Todd Korchin struck out looking, Coley O'Donnell singled to center bringing the tying run to the plate. Nick Graves then grounded to short, scoring Beck, but giving Basch the second out of the inning. The next batter was Thomson, NU's starting pitcher, who was only batting because designated hitter Jody Corcoran had moved to second base the inning before. Thomson helped his own cause and homered over the center field fence to tie the game.
The top of the eighth inning saw Hofstra again take the lead on a Farley double, which drove home Rodriguez for a 6-5 Hofstra lead.
NU's Czarnowski led off the bottom of the eighth inning by grounding back to Basch. Hernan Guerrero walked, and then Luke Carlin singled to bring Beck to the plate. Beck drove Basch's delivery to left and the ball carried just over the glove of Hofstra's John Rodriguez, and then over the fence to cap off the Huskies' 8-6 win.
The Huskies will attempt to secure their ninth consecutive playoff bid next weekend at Maine.
Hofstra 6 (16-29,9-15 AMEREAST)
Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A
Gumnitz dh................ 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
John Rodriguez cf......... 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 0
Joe Farley ss............. 5 1 3 1 0 1 2 3
Michael Meittinis 2b...... 4 1 1 1 1 0 3 1
Jake Soviero 3b........... 4 2 2 2 1 0 1 1
Gambardella 1b............ 4 0 1 1 0 0 5 3
Creaney rf................ 3 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
Joe Gaudio c.............. 2 0 0 0 1 1 9 0
G. Adam Russ lf........... 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Jeff Alwine ph/lf......... 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
Consentino p.............. 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2
Zachery Basch p........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Totals.................... 35 6 12 6 4 4 22 12
Northeastern 8 (17-26,10-14 AMEREAST)
Name (Pos) AB R H RBI BB SO PO A
Hernan Guerrero ss........ 3 2 1 1 2 0 0 1
Luke Carlin c............. 3 1 1 0 2 1 5 1
Ben Beck lf............... 3 2 1 3 2 0 1 0
Todd Korchin rf........... 2 0 0 1 2 2 0 0
Coley O'Donnell 1b........ 4 1 1 0 0 0 9 1
Nick Graves 3b............ 4 0 0 1 0 2 1 1
Mike Wysong 2b............ 3 0 1 0 0 0 1 1
Matt Pileski pr........... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Pedro Pena dh............. 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
Joe Corcoran ph/dh........ 3 0 1 0 0 1 0 1
Brad Czarnowski cf........ 3 1 1 0 0 0 7 0
Jordan Thomson p.......... 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 3
Totals.................... 30 8 8 8 8 7 24 9
Score by innings: R H E
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Hofstra 100 100 31 - 6 12 2
Northeastern 001 001 33 - 8 8 1
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Note: 1 out, 0 runner(s) LOB when the game ended.
E - Farley; Soviero; N. Graves.
LOB - Hofstra 11; Northeastern 9.
2B - Farley; Meittinis; Guerrero. 3B - Czarnowski.
HR - Soviero; Beck(8); Thomson(1).
SB - Gumnitz; Rodriguez; Creaney 2; Carlin. CS - Pileski.
SH - Gaudio; Czarnowski.
Hofstra IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
Consentino.......... 6.0 4 2 2 6 6 22 29
Zachery Basch....... 1.1 4 6 6 2 1 8 10
Northeastern IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
Jordan Thomson...... 8.0 12 6 6 4 4 35 41
Win - Thomson 5-3. Loss - Basch 0-1. Save - None.
WP - Thomson.
HBP - by Thomson (Rodriguez).
Umpires -
Start: 3:15 Time: 2:55 Attendance: 406
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Play-by-play
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2001 Northeastern Baseball
Hofstra at Northeastern
May 06, 2001 at Brookline, MA (Friedman Diamond)
Score by innings: R H E
--------------------------------------------
Hofstra 100 100 31 - 6 12 2
Northeastern 001 001 33 - 8 8 1
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Hofstra inning 1
Gumnitz grounded out to c. Rodriguez singled to left field. Rodriguez
stole second. Farley singled; Rodriguez advanced to third. Meittinis
reached on a fielding error by 3b, RBI; Farley advanced to second; Rodriguez
scored. Soviero popped up to 1b. Gambardella grounded out to 3b. 1 run, 2
hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Northeastern inning 1
Guerrero lined out to lf. Carlin walked. Beck popped up to 2b. Carlin
stole second. Korchin struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Hofstra inning 2
Creaney flied out to cf. Gaudio struck out swinging. Russ flied out to cf.
0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Northeastern inning 2
O'Donnell grounded out to 2b. N. Graves struck out looking. Wysong singled
up the middle. P. Pena struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1
LOB.
Hofstra inning 3
Gumnitz grounded out to 1b unassisted. Rodriguez popped up to 1b. Farley
lined out to cf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Northeastern inning 3
Czarnowski grounded out to ss. Guerrero walked. Carlin walked; Guerrero
advanced to second. Beck walked; Carlin advanced to second; Guerrero
advanced to third. Korchin walked, RBI; Beck advanced to second; Carlin
advanced to third; Guerrero scored. O'Donnell fouled out to c. N. Graves
struck out swinging. 1 run, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Hofstra inning 4
Meittinis flied out to lf. Soviero homered to left field, RBI. Gambardella
grounded out to p. Creaney walked. Creaney stole second. Creaney stole
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third. Gaudio walked. Russ reached on a fielder's choice; Gaudio out at
second ss to 2b. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Northeastern inning 4
Wysong reached on a fielding error by ss. Corcoran pinch hit for P. Pena.
Corcoran singled, bunt; Wysong advanced to second. Czarnowski out at first
1b to 2b, SAC, bunt; Corcoran advanced to second; Wysong advanced to third.
Guerrero reached on a fielder's choice; Wysong out at home 3b to c. Carlin
reached on a fielder's choice; Guerrero advanced to second; Corcoran out at
third 3b unassisted. 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Hofstra inning 5
Gumnitz popped up to 3b. Rodriguez hit by pitch. Farley struck out
swinging. Meittinis walked; Rodriguez advanced to second. Soviero walked;
Meittinis advanced to second; Rodriguez advanced to third. Gambardella
grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 3 LOB.
Northeastern inning 5
Beck out at first 1b to p. Corcoran to dh. Korchin walked. O'Donnell
reached on a fielder's choice; Korchin out at second p to ss. N. Graves
reached on a fielder's choice; O'Donnell out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 0
hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Hofstra inning 6
Creaney singled to pitcher. Gaudio grounded out to p, SAC, bunt; Creaney
advanced to second. Russ struck out swinging. Gumnitz singled to
shortstop; Creaney advanced to third. Gumnitz stole second. Rodriguez
flied out to cf. 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Northeastern inning 6
Wysong reached on a fielding error by 3b. Pileski pinch ran for Wysong.
Corcoran struck out looking. Pileski out at second p to 1b to ss, caught
stealing. Czarnowski tripled down the lf line. Guerrero doubled down the
lf line, RBI; Czarnowski scored. Carlin struck out swinging. 1 run, 2
hits, 1 error, 1 LOB.
Hofstra inning 7
Thomson to p for Pileski. Corcoran to 2b. / for Thomson. Farley singled
to right center. Meittinis doubled to left center; Farley advanced to
third. Soviero singled through the left side, RBI; Meittinis advanced to
third; Farley scored. Gambardella singled to center field, RBI; Soviero
advanced to second; Meittinis scored. Gambardella advanced to second on a
wild pitch; Soviero advanced to third. Creaney struck out swinging. Gaudio
grounded out to p. Alwine pinch hit for Russ. Alwine singled, RBI;
Gambardella advanced to third, out at home 2b to 1b to c; Soviero scored. 3
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runs, 5 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Northeastern inning 7
Alwine to lf. Basch to p for Consentino. Beck walked. Korchin struck out
looking. O'Donnell singled to second base; Beck advanced to third. N.
Graves grounded out to ss, RBI; O'Donnell advanced to second; Beck scored.
Thomson homered to left center, 2 RBI; O'Donnell scored. Corcoran grounded
out to p. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Hofstra inning 8
Gumnitz flied out to cf. Rodriguez singled through the right side. Farley
doubled to right center, RBI; Rodriguez scored. Meittinis flied out to cf.
Soviero flied out to cf. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Northeastern inning 8
Czarnowski grounded out to p. Guerrero walked. Carlin singled to right
field; Guerrero advanced to second. Beck homered to left field, 3 RBI;
Carlin scored; Guerrero scored. 3 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
