Box Score Box score

Despite a superb effort from starting pitcher Andrew Leenhouts, the Northeastern University baseball team dropped a 3-2 decision to Rhode Island Friday afternoon in West Palm Beach, Fla.

The loss drops the Huskies to 0-8 on the season.

Leenhouts (0-1) was outstanding for Northeastern, pitching six inning while allowing three runs (two earned), while fanning seven Rams to receieve the hard luck loss. Rhode Island was patient off of the junior southpaw, drawing seven walks to continually have runners on base, before a two run sixth inning provided the tying and winning runs.

Northeastern jumped out to an early lead, plating two runs in the first inning for their only scores in the contest. Alan Pastyrnak (2-4, run) got the rally going,  roping a one out double down the leftfield line. Junior co-captain Matt Miller (1-4, RBI, run) took advantage of the RBI opportunity, doubling over the left fielder to plate Pastysnak to give the Huskies the early advantage 1-0. Jon Leroux (1-4, RBI) doubled the Husky lead to 2-0, singling into leftfield to extend the Northeastern rally. Leroux was subsequently picked off before Jeff Dunlap (1-4) struck out to end the top half.

The score remained 2-0 until the third inning, when Leenhouts surrendered a one out double to Mike LeBel  to put a Rams' runner in scoring position. Leenhouts induced a Jeff Cammans fly out to Dunlap in left, before Tom Coulombe cut the Huskies' lead in half with a RBI double to right. Leenhouts escaped further damage, striking out Greg Annarummo to end the threat.

The Huskies held the 2-1 edge until the bottom of the sixth, before the Rams scored the equalizing and go ahead runs to continue Northeastern's eight game slide. Annarummo struck out to lead off the inning, but a Ty Muller grounder to shortstop was misplayed by Oliver Hart, putting Muller at first. A pair of walks to Evan Laude and Milan Adams loaded the bases for Dan Haverstick, who Leenhouts fanned for the second out in the sixth. Kenny Burns took the Leenhouts offering and singled into centerfield, scoring both Muller and Laude to give the Rams the 3-2 edge.

Northeastern was able to get a runner on in both the eighth and ninth, but was unable to do any additional damage, putting Rhode Island in the victory column.

NU will look for its first win tomorrow, completing the annual trip to Florida with a double-header. Senior Brandon McNelis is scheduled to start game one against St. Bonaventure, with sophomore Chris Carmain closing out the trip against Western Michigan.