After entering the game as a pinch runner in the fifth inning, second baseman Dave Fisher eventually hit a walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 11th inning to send the Huskies to victory in game one of a doubleheader against the Towson Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Friedman Diamond. NU fought back to tie the game on three separate occasions before finally taking its first and only lead of the game with the grand slam.
The Huskies tied the game 1-1 in the fifth when Fisher scored on a Tony DiCesare triple to left center. The Huskies did not score again until David Gustafson sent the game into extra innings with a two-run double to left center with two down in the bottom of the ninth. Gustafson finished the game 2-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run scored. In the bottom of the 11th, captain Josh Porter tied the game again with an RBI-single before the Huskies eventually loaded the bases and set up Fisher for the game-winning slam.
Jeff Thomson started the game for the Huskies and went eight innings, allowing nine hits and three unearned runs, while striking out six and walking one. Les Williams relieved Thomson and tossed a perfect ninth to help the Huskies stay in striking distance heading into the bottom of the ninth. Sheldon McDonald pitched both of the extra frames and picked up the win, improving to a team and CAA-best 7-1 on the season.
Northeastern improved to 15-16-1 overall and 6-9-1 in the CAA with the win, while the Tigers dropped to 16-17 on the season and 5-8 in the CAA.
Towson University 4 (16-17,5-8 CAA)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Natoli, Nick ss.......... 6 2 2 1 0 3 2 3 0
Collins, Kevin lf/rf..... 6 0 1 0 0 1 3 0 1
Conley, Brian rf......... 4 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
Rice, Steve rf.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Harclerode, Austin rf/ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
Collins, Matt dh......... 5 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 1
Yarsinsky, Steve 3b...... 5 0 1 1 0 0 1 3 0
Gabrielian, Aaron pr/lf. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Stifler, Jason c......... 5 0 1 0 0 4 7 1 3
Furmanek, Greg 1b........ 4 1 2 1 1 1 11 2 1
Wychock, Chris 3b....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Helmick, Gary 2b......... 5 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 1
Gallo, Terry cf.......... 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2
Umberger, Zach p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 0
Squatrito, Josh p....... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 44 4 11 4 2 12 31 15 10
Northeastern 8 (15-16-1,6-9-1 CAA)
Player AB R H RBI BB SO PO A LOB
------------------------------------------------------
Dicesare, Tony rf........ 5 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0
Tamsin, Mike 3b.......... 4 0 1 0 1 0 1 2 0
Lyon, Mike ss............ 5 0 1 0 0 1 0 5 1
Pesanello, Frank c....... 5 1 1 0 0 1 12 1 0
Compagnone, Frank cf..... 5 2 1 0 0 2 2 0 0
Porter, Josh 1b.......... 5 0 1 1 0 1 15 1 0
Zentek, Teddy pr........ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Gustafson, David lf...... 4 1 2 2 1 0 0 1 0
Donaldson, James dh...... 3 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 2
Stokes, Brendan 2b....... 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0
Fisher, Dave pr/2b...... 3 2 1 4 0 0 1 1 2
Thomson, Jeff p.......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Williams, Les p......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
McDonald, Sheldon p..... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals................... 40 8 10 8 4 7 33 16 6
Score by Innings R H E
----------------------------------------------
Towson University... 001 000 200 01 - 4 11 1
Northeastern........ 000 010 002 05 - 8 10 2
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Note: 1 out, 0 runners LOB when the game ended.
E - Helmick(7); Lyon(14); Stokes(2). DP - TOWSON 1. LOB - TOWSON 10; NU 6.
2B - M. Collins(9); Stifler(7); Helmick(5); Tamsin(9); Compagnone(7);
Gustafson 2(8). 3B - DiCesare(3). HR - Furmanek(10); Fisher(2). HBP -
Stokes. SH - Gallo(3). SB - Gallo(2).
Towson University IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Umberger, Zach...... 8.1 4 3 3 2 6 29 32
Squatrito, Josh..... 2.0 6 5 5 2 1 11 13
Northeastern IP H R ER BB SO AB BF
-----------------------------------------------
Thomson, Jeff....... 8.0 9 3 0 1 6 33 35
Williams, Les....... 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 3 3
McDonald, Sheldon... 2.0 2 1 1 1 5 8 9
Win - McDonald (7-1). Loss - Squatrito (2-4). Save - None.
WP - Thomson(1). HBP - by Umberger (Stokes).
Umpires -
Start: 11 AM Time: 2:58 Attendance: 185
Game: GAME32
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Play-by-Play
Towson University starters: 12/ss Natoli; 11/lf K. Collins; 24/rf Conley; 10/dh M.
Collins; 42/3b Yarsinsky; 33/c Stifler; 43/1b Furmanek; 2/2b Helmick; 18/cf Gallo;
6/p Umberger;
Northeastern starters: 20/rf DiCesare; 6/3b Tamsin; 7/ss Lyon; 11/c Pesanello; 4/cf
Compagnone; 32/1b Porter; 9/lf Gustafson; 33/dh Donaldson; 17/2b Stokes; 23/p
Thomson;
Towson University 1st - Natoli popped up to 1b. K. Collins grounded out to
2b. Conley singled up the middle. M. Collins struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit,
0 errors, 1 LOB.
Northeastern 1st - DiCesare lined out to lf. Tamsin flied out to lf. Lyon
grounded out to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Towson University 2nd - Yarsinsky grounded out to 1b unassisted. Stifler
struck out swinging. Furmanek walked. Helmick doubled to left center; Furmanek
advanced to third. Gallo grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Northeastern 2nd - Pesanello popped up to ss. Compagnone reached on a
throwing error by 2b, advanced to second on the throw. Porter struck out looking.
Gustafson walked. Donaldson grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 1
error, 2 LOB.
Towson University 3rd - Natoli singled through the left side. K. Collins
singled through the right side; Natoli advanced to second. Conley flied out to cf to
left center. M. Collins reached on an error by 2b; K. Collins advanced to second;
Natoli advanced to third. Yarsinsky reached on a fielder's choice, RBI; M. Collins
out at second ss to 2b; K. Collins advanced to third; Natoli scored, unearned.
Stifler struck out swinging. 1 run, 2 hits, 1 error, 2 LOB.
Northeastern 3rd - Stokes grounded out to ss. DiCesare out at first 1b to p.
Tamsin doubled to left center. Lyon grounded out to 3b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors,
1 LOB.
Towson University 4th - Furmanek struck out swinging. Helmick grounded out to
3b. Gallo grounded out to ss. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Northeastern 4th - Pesanello out at first 1b to p. Compagnone struck out
swinging. Porter grounded out to 2b. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Towson University 5th - Natoli struck out looking. K. Collins grounded out to
2b. Conley grounded out to 1b unassisted. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Northeastern 5th - Gustafson grounded out to 3b. Donaldson struck out
swinging. Stokes hit by pitch. Fisher pinch ran for Stokes. DiCesare tripled to left
center, RBI; Fisher scored. Tamsin walked. Tamsin out at first p to 1b, picked off.
1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Towson University 6th - Fisher to 2b. M. Collins grounded out to p. Yarsinsky
grounded out to c. Stifler doubled to right field. Furmanek grounded out to ss. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Northeastern 6th - Lyon grounded out to 2b. Pesanello struck out looking.
Compagnone struck out swinging. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Towson University 7th - Helmick reached on a fielding error by ss, advanced
to second. Gallo grounded out to 3b, SAC, bunt; Helmick advanced to third. Natoli
singled up the middle, RBI; Helmick scored, unearned. K. Collins grounded out to p;
Natoli advanced to second. Natoli advanced to third on a wild pitch. Conley singled
through the right side, RBI; Natoli scored, unearned. M. Collins doubled down the lf
line; Conley advanced to second, out at third lf to 3b. 2 runs, 3 hits, 1 error,
1 LOB.
Northeastern 7th - Rice to rf for Conley. Porter flied out to cf. Gustafson
flied out to rf. Donaldson struck out looking. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
Towson University 8th - Yarsinsky flied out to cf. Stifler struck out
swinging. Furmanek singled to center field. Helmick reached on a fielder's choice;
Furmanek out at second ss to 2b. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Northeastern 8th - Fisher flied out to rf. DiCesare grounded out to 3b, bunt.
Tamsin flied out to lf. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Towson University 9th - Williams to p for Thomson. Gallo grounded out to ss.
Natoli struck out swinging. K. Collins out at first 1b to p. 0 runs, 0 hits, 0
errors, 0 LOB.
Northeastern 9th - Lyon singled through the left side. Pesanello singled to
center field; Lyon advanced to second. Compagnone reached on a fielder's choice;
Pesanello advanced to second; Lyon out at third p to 3b. Squatrito to p for
Umberger. Porter popped up to 2b. Gustafson doubled to left center, advanced to
third on the throw, 2 RBI; Compagnone scored; Pesanello scored. Donaldson
intentionally walked. Donaldson advanced to second. Fisher grounded out to 2b. 2
runs, 3 hits, 0 errors, 2 LOB.
Towson University 10th - McDonald to p for Williams. Harclerode to rf for
Rice. Harclerode pinch hit. Harclerode struck out swinging. M. Collins struck out
swinging. Yarsinsky singled up the middle. Gabrielian pinch ran for Yarsinsky.
Stifler struck out swinging. 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Northeastern 10th - DiCesare singled up the middle. Tamsin grounded into
double play c to ss to 1b; DiCesare out on the play. Lyon struck out swinging. 0
runs, 1 hit, 0 errors, 0 LOB.
Towson University 11th - Furmanek homered to left center, RBI. Helmick
grounded out to 2b. Gallo walked. Gallo stole second. Natoli struck out swinging. K.
Collins struck out looking. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 LOB.
Northeastern 11th - Harclerode to 1b for Wychock. Pesanello grounded out to
ss. Compagnone doubled to center field. Porter singled to right field, RBI;
Compagnone scored. Zentek pinch ran for Porter. Gustafson doubled down the rf line;
Zentek advanced to third. Donaldson intentionally walked. Fisher homered to left
center, 4 RBI; Donaldson scored; Gustafson scored; Zentek scored. K. Collins to rf.
Gabrielian to lf. Wychock to 3b for Furmanek. 5 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 0
LOB.
