Box Score Box score

The Huskies scored 12 runs, their second highest total of the season, but fell just one short in a 13-12 loss to Harvard at Friedman Diamond. The Huskies whacked 14 hits, five for extra bases, but stranded two runners on base to end the game. Brendan Stokes led the Huskies with three hits and three runs scored, and Jon Leroux brought home three runners with two hits.

The bats were hot for both squads, combining for 27 hits and 25 runs. Harvard's Jeff Reynolds finished his day 5-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored.

Harvard started the scoring right off the bat, notching a run in the top of the first. The Huskies responded in the bottom half, putting up two runs and taking their first (and only) lead of the game.

Matt Miller led off the NU first inning with a double to center field. The next batter, David Gustafson, clubbed a triple off the wall in deep center, plating Miller and tying the score before Harvard could log an out. Gustafson came home on Frank Compagnone's ground ball to shortstop, giving Compagnone his only RBI of the day.

Harvard jumped back in the second inning, scoring once to tie the score at 2-2. A scoreless second for NU set up the Crimson to take a 4-2 lead in the third inning, amassing two runs on three hits. The Huskies barked back in the bottom of the frame, scoring twice to even the score at 4-4.

Leroux and Gillis drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks with one out, giving NU the chance to break the game open. But two strikeouts silenced the rally, sending the game into the fourth in a tie.

The fourth inning saw the Crimson go down 1-2-3, ending starter Chris Carmain's day. He tossed four innings, allowing five hits and three earned runs while striking out four in his first collegiate start. In the Huskies' half of the fourth, Tony DiCesare singled and stole second base, giving him five steals in five attempts on the season.

The Crimson turned the game upside down in the fifth inning, plating five runs to take a 9-4 lead. The Huskies battled back for two runs in the bottom of the fifth, stringing together three hits including a two-run double down the left field line by Ryan Maguire.

Harvard tacked on two more in the sixth inning to take a 11-6 lead. But four runs from the Huskies in their half of the sixth put the Crimson back on the defensive. Stokes ripped an RBI single, setting the table for Leroux's monster triple to right center field that scored two. Leroux came home on Gillis' sacrifice fly, sending the game to the seventh inning with the Crimson clinging to a 11-10 lead.

Both squads went down in order in the seventh, setting up a dramatic eighth inning. Harvard scored twice in the top half, going up 13-10. But Northeastern mirrored their output with two of its own. Compagnone was hit by a pitch (one of five Huskies to get plunked on the day) and Stokes hit a single to set the table for Logan Gillis to smash a double down the left field line that scored two. Maguire, batting with the tying run on second, stung the ball towards second base and watched as the ball nestled into the fielder's glove for the third out.

Charly Bashara, in his third inning of relief, shut down the Crimson in the ninth to give the Huskies a shot at winning.

Miller smacked a single to left and DiCesare drew a walk, putting the tying runner on second. But a strikeout ended the game, closing the door on an outstanding offensive performance.

Bashara finished with three innings pitched, allowing two runs on three hits. Kevin Ferguson, who relieved Carmain in the fifth, tossed two innings, striking out three but allowing four runs.

Four Huskies scored multiple runs, and Leroux and Gillis combined for seven RBI. NU finished with 10 runners left on base.


Next up on the slate for the Huskies is the UMass Minutemen in the first round of the annual baseball Beanpot tournament. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Campanelli Stadium in Brockton, Mass. JT Ross will make his fourth start of the season on the mound. Live stats will be available at game time.