Box Score

BOSTON - A career-high four hits by Michael Foster and clutch late-inning at bats by Jason Vosler and Brad Burcroff pushed the Northeastern baseball team past Houston Baptist in 10 innings Friday afternoon, 7-4.

Northeastern (1-3) tallied its first win of the season in its first extra-inning game of 2014, while HBU (4-1) suffers its first loss of the year and its first extra-inning loss since 2012. The Huskies of Northeastern have now won four consecutive extra-inning games dating back to last year.

Northeastern claimed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Foster (4-for-6, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB) reached base on an error and advanced to third on a single by Vosler (3-for-5, RBI, 2B, BB). Connor Lyons (1-for-6, RBI) followed with a single to the right side, allowing Foster to easily trot home.

The HBU Huskies were quick to respond, however, when Bradley Brown hit an RBI single in the bottom of the frame to even the score. Northeastern reclaimed the lead when Foster gathered an RBI single of his own to score Shane Allen (1-for-5, 2 R), but Brown answered right back in the bottom of the third when his three-run homer gave HBU a 4-2 lead.

Northeastern chipped away at the two-run deficit when Allen started the fourth inning by reaching base on an error and advanced to second on a Sean Lyons (0-for-5, R, BB) groundout. Foster stepped to the plate and once again singled home Allen to cut HBU's lead to 4-3.

NU continued to take advantage of HBU's defensive miscues when Burcroff (1-for-6, 2RBI, R, SB) led off the fifth inning by reaching base on an error by the shortstop. After swiping second, Burcroff came around to score on an RBI single by Josh Treff (2-for-5, RBI), tying the game, 4-4. 

Dustin Hunt pitched four shutout innings out of the bullpen for Northeastern, but not without some theatrics. HBU's Josh Martinez led off the sixth inning with a double, but Hunt struck out the next two batters and induced a groundout to keep the score even.

Gabe Levanti (2-for-5, 2B, R) opened the 10th-inning rally with a one-out double and Sean Lyons followed with a walk. Foster singled to load the bases, and Vosler worked a full count before earning a free pass and forcing Levanti  home to give NU a 5-4 lead. Burcroff stepped in the box having gone hitless in his previous five at bats, but he came through in the clutch with a two-RBI single to score Lyons and Foster and put Northeastern ahead, 7-4.

"Today was a great way to get our first win of the season," said Northeastern assistant coach Mike Glavine. "We played very well in pressure situations all day. Dustin Hunt pitched great and Foster had an outstanding all-around game."

Foster's four hits tie a career-high mark he set against Georgia State on April 26, 2013. The redshirt sophomore also earned the win for the Huskies by tossing two scoreless innings.

Northeastern and HBU conclude their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 22. The first game is scheduled for 12 p.m. (E.T.) with James Mulry pitching the first game and Chris Carmain getting the start in the series finale.


Notables
• The first 11 hits of the game were all singles.
• NU's first nine hits were all singles until Vosler doubled in the fifth inning.
• Foster recorded his first multi-RBI game of the season. He had nine such games last year.
• Both Vosler and Foster recorded their second multi-hit game through the first four games of the season. 
• Treff collected his first multi-hit game of the season. He had one multi-hit game in 2013.
• Northeastern head coach Neil McPhee is two wins shy of his 700th career victory.



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