Box Score
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Game 29 |
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Final Score |
Northeastern 4, Hofstra 1 (W, Berger 4-4) |
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Records |
NU 17-13 (6-8 CAA), Hofstra (14-17, 4-7 CAA) |
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Next Game |
Sunday vs. Hofstra (Brookline, Mass.), 12 p.m. |
BROOKLINE, Mass. – Northeastern used two runs in the eighth inning to pull away from Hofstra, evening the series at one game apiece on Saturday. The Huskies (17-13, 6-8 CAA) defeated the Pride (14-17, 4-7 CAA), 4-1 behind solid pitching from
Nick Berger and quick decisions on the basepaths.
After pitching seven innings, giving up just one unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts, Berger moves to 4-4 on the season as the regular Saturday starter.
Both Berger and Joe Burg did well in the early going to prevent any runs on the board, but Hofstra attacked first in the top of the third. Berger walked Jackson, who raced to third on a failed pick off attempt. Jared Hammer dribbled a hit up the first base line to score Jackson on the very next at bat to make it 1-0 Hofstra.
Northeastern held some momentum an inning later in the bottom of the fourth as
Rob Fonseca (2-for-3, 2R) and
Connor Lyons (1-for-1, 1R) grabbed back-to-back one-out singles, but Burg forced
Michael Foster (0-for-3) to ground out into a double play to end the threat.
An inning later, after Berger retired the side in order with three consecutive groundouts, the Husky bats woke up. After two straight strikeouts,
Pete Castoldi (-for-) slipped a single through the left side and Barbosa drew a walk to put two runners on.
Brad Burcroff (1-for-4, 1RBI) lined a single through the left side to score a run in controversial fashion. Castoldi was sent home and avoided the tag at the plate to score Northeastern's first run of the day and tie the game at 1-1.
Hofstra came back in the top half of the sixth and eventually had the bases loaded with one out, but Berger struck out Nyman to end the lengthy inning unscathed. In the home half of the sixth, Fonseca led off with a single and was moved to second thanks to a
Connor Lyons sacrifice bunt. The Husky first baseman raced home on the very next at bat after pinch hitter
John Puttress (1-for-1, RBI) nailed a shot to center to give the Huskies their first lead of the game, 2-1.
A walk and an error highlighted the top of the seventh for Hofstra, but Berger continued on, helped out by Barbosa in right, who made a nice grab to end the inning with the Huskies still on top.
Dylan Maki came on in the eighth with the slim margin to try and close things out. The senior made things dicey as Hofstra loaded the bases, but a groundout ended things promptly and the Huskies escaped to see the bottom of the eighth with a 2-1 lead.
Both Fonseca and Lyons took a free bag via shot to the back, and Puttress drew an intentional walk to load the bases with two outs in the eighth, and
Josh Treff made the Pride pay. The Husky hit a well placed ball to second and beat the throw, but after Fonseca had crossed the plate, Lyons displayed great awareness and took home when he saw the chance to make it 4-1 Northeastern.
Maki closed things out, earning his fifth save of the year to preserve the 4-1, series-evening win for the Huskies. The two will meet tomorrow for the rubber match at noon.
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