Box Score

Game 25
Final Score	Northeastern 8, James Madison 3 (W, Berger 3-4)
Records	NU 14-11 (4-7 CAA), JMU (14-11, 6-4 CAA)
Next Game	Sunday vs. James Madison (Brookline, Mass.), 12 p.m.

BROOKLINE, Mass. – Northeastern claimed its first conference series with an impressive 8-3 win over James Madison on Saturday at Friedman Diamond. The Huskies (14-11, 4-7 CAA) toppled the Dukes (14-11, 6-4 CAA) for the second straight day, thanks to another dominating offensive performance at the plate. Seven different Huskies grabbed hits and all nine reached base safely during the contest.

Nick Berger earned his third win of the season after tossing 5.0 innings  against JMU. The sophomore allowed just six hits and two runs, striking out two and walking three to improve to 3-4 on the year for the Red and Black.

The Huskies kept up the momentum from Friday's game, putting an early dent on the scoreboard on Saturday. Jason Vosler (2-for-4, 2R, 2RBI) used a heated triple to right center to bring home Aaron Barbosa (0-for-4, 1R) to make it 1-0 in the Huskies' favor with just one out. In the next at-bat, Rob Fonseca (1-for-4, 2R, 1RBI) made it 2-0, sending Vosler home with an infield single that hit the mound and rolled out of reach of any Dukes in the area. Michael Foster (1-for-4, 1RBI) quickly extended NU's lead to 3-0, scoring Fonseca from second following a single up the middle.

Berger kept the Dukes from biting back in the next half inning, inducing two groundouts and striking out Duke to end the frame. In the bottom half, Josh Treff (1-for-4, 1R, 1RBI) came across to make it 4-0 NU after Vosler reached on a bases-loaded fielder's choice, advancing a couple of basemen. A scoreless inning later, Madison got a run back with a two-out single from leadoff-man Bladel, but after advancing to third, Duke was caught being greedy and trying to steal home by a laser throw from Barbosa in right to end the JMU threat.

Northeastern added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth, thanks to some impressive base running out of Connor Lyons (1-for-2, 1E, 2RBI). As the first batter of the inning, Lyons drew a walk, stole second and just beat out a throwdown to third after a wild pitch. John Puttress (2-for-4, 1R, 1RBI) singled to right to plate Lyons after his hard work, then the co-captain and DH scored a run himself following a Treff groundout RBI to short.

To start the sixth, Berger was taken out mid at-bat in favor of Matt Cook with a 2-1 count to McInturff. The JMU right fielder subsequently was walked and eventually came around to score after Carroll grounded out to Cook who made the tag along the first base line. But Lyons pushed Northeastern's lead out of reach a half inning later with a big-time double to left center field, bringing home both Vosler and Fonseca, who were both walked with two outs on the board.

JMU tacked on another run in the top of the ninth, but once again it was too little, too late as NU's pitching, this time all-time saves leader Dylan Maki, held the powerful bats from James Madison at bay for a decisive conference win.

The Huskies look to sweep the Dukes with an Easter Sunday showdown, slated for a 12 p.m. first-pitch start time.