Box Score

Game 26
Final Score	Rhode Island 4, Northeastern 2 (L, Lippert, 2-1)
Records	NU 15-12 (5-7 CAA), URI (12-14, 1-2 A-10)
Next Game	Wednesday vs. UMass (Brookline, Mass.), 3 p.m.

BROOKLINE, Mass. – In conditions which favored a pitchers duel, Rhode Island edged Northeastern, 4-2, on Tuesday afternoon to halt the Huskies' five-game winning streak. The two teams combined for 18 hits, but just five went for extra bases as the Rams (12-14, 1-2 A-10) held on in blustery conditions to defeat the Huskies (15-12, 5-7 CAA) for the sixth straight outing.

NU's Isaac Lippert earned the loss in 4.0 innings of work, giving up five hits and two earned runs, but the sophomore recorded a season-best five strikeouts in his stint on the mound. Lippert gave up a walk to start the game, but struck two batters out to move onto the home half of the inning. Milan Mantle, however, made quick work of the Husky bats, retiring the side in order in the bottom of the first.

Lippert struck out two in the second, but after hitting a leadoff single, Fortunado stole two bases and eventually came home on a double from Connor Foreman to make it 1-0 in Rhode Island's favor. Connor Lyons started things off in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff single to short, but just before ROb Fonseca struck out swinging, Lyons was caught in a 1-6-3 pickoff to change momentum. Michael Foster sent a double into center to try and spark the Huskies, but Justin Kessler was called out looking to end the frame.

URI tacked one more on the board in the top of the third thanks to a LeBel single. The Rhody senior made it around the diamond after a big double to left center from Fortunato to make it 2-0 early. While the Huskies were retired in order in the third, the Rams continued on in the fourth with a leadoff single from Foreman through the right side. Famigliette moved him one bag up on a sacrifice bunt, but Lippert struck his fifth batter out on the day, which preceeded a nice play from Fonseca to dish the ball back to his pitcher at first to end the inning. Milan Mantle kept the Huskies at bay, however, retiring the side for the second straight inning to end the fourth with a 2-0 lead.

Freshman Brad McLean, who came on in relief of Lippert to start the fifth, promptly struck out the first batter he faced and needed just 10 total pitches to retire the Rams in order. Kessler continued his hitting streak with a single to left, but the bottom of NU's order couldn't muster up any more offense in the inning.

Joe Landi led off the Rhody sixth with a ground-rule double, advancing to third on another sacrifice bunt for the Rams, but McLean got Foreman to go swinging and Famiglietti to end the inning on a nice play at third from William Dougherty, who made his first start of the season in the field.

Dougherty continued his success in his start with an infield hit to open the sixth. Two batters later, Burcroff slammed a single into right center field, which put runners on the corners for the Huskies with just one out, forcing URI to make a pitching change. Facing a Ty Sterner, Vosler squeaked an infield single out to bring Dougherty home for Northeastern's first score of the day. Vosler and Burcroff successfully converted a double steal, but Sterner was able to get Fonseca to ground out to end the sixth with the Rams up 2-1.

Dougherty made another nice play on the hot corner with a nice scoop and throw to first to get Caputo out, but back-to-back hits, a single and an RBI double, extended the Rhody lead to 3-1. Michael Foster then made his second appearance on the mound this season in the top of the eighth in relief of McLean. Foster did very well to earn two strikeouts in the inning, the latter of which ended the frame, but two walks, two wild pitches and two infield singles for the Rams extended the lead once more to 4-1.

Aaron Barbosa put himself on the basepath for the first time all day with a walk in the bottom of the eighth, and immediately stole second. After Burcroff flied out to put two away, Barbosa took third on his 13th stolen base of the year. The move pulled off after Connor Lyons sent a blooping single to center to tightent URI's lead to 4-2, but that would be the rest of the scoring on Tuesday. Dylan Maki retired the Rams in order inducing three straight grounders, bit the bottom of the order in the bottom of the ninth yielded just one single and a double play ended the contest with the Rams out in front.

Northeastern looks to get back on track Wednesday with a visit from Bay State rivals Massachusetts. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Friedman Diamond.