Box Score
BOSTON –
Connor Lyons and
Gabe Levanti collected three hits apiece, but the Northeastern baseball team dropped the first game of a three-game series at Villanova, 8-3, Friday afternoon.
Lyons (3-for-5, SB) has collected at least three hits in four games this year while Levanti (3-for-4, RBI, 2B), a freshman, set a career-best mark.
The Huskies (7-10) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when
Michael Foster (0-for-4, R, SB) led off with a walk and moved into scoring position with his seventh stolen base of the year. A ground out allowed Foster to move to third, and he scored on a wild pitch by Villanova (7-12) starting pitcher Josh Harris.Â
The Wildcats quickly responded with two runs in the home half of the first inning. A passed ball with the bases loaded allowed Max Beermann to score the game-tying run, and Connor Jones' RBI ground out gave Villanova a 2-1 lead. The Wildcats increased their lead to 4-1 when Jones and Todd Czinege both hit RBI singles in the fifth inning.
The Huskies loaded the bases in the sixth inning after
Jason Vosler (1-for-3, R) led off by getting hit by a pitch,
Sean Lyons (0-for-2) drew a walk, and Levanti singled.
Pat Madigan's (0-for-3, RBI) sac fly to left field allowed Vosler to score and bring NU to within 4-2. An RBI single by Villanova's Kevin Jewitt in the bottom of the sixth and two more RBI singles for the Wildcats in the seventh inning made it a 7-2 game.
Levanti's third hit of the day, a double down the right-field line, allowed
R.J. Roman (1-for-4, R) to score and bring the Huskies to within 7-3 in the eighth inning, but a run by Villanova in the bottom of the frame sealed the 8-3 win for the Wildcats.
"We didn't come ready to play today and it reflected in the outcome," said Northeastern assistant coach
Mike Glavine. "We just aren't playing passionate, fundamental baseball right now. We need to play better tomorrow."
The two teams play again on Saturday, March 22, at 1:15 p.m.
Notables
•
Gabe Levanti collected a career-best three hits.
•
Connor Lyons finished with at least three hits for the fourth time this season.
• Freshman
Will Jahn made his collegiate debut by tossing 1.1 hitless innings out of the bullpen.
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