Box Score BOSTON – The Northeastern baseball team held a 6-2 lead entering the eighth inning, but William & Mary rallied for six runs late in the game to capture an 8-6 win Sunday afternoon.
The Huskies (15-21, 4-8 CAA) collected a season-high16 hits in the loss, led by four off the bat of
Connor Lyons (4-for-6, R, 2 RBI) and career-high three by
Cam Hanley (3-for-5, R, 3B).
The Tribe (25-14, 9-2 CAA) got on the board in the second inning after Ryan Hissey led off with a triple that NU right-fielder
Sean Lyons lost in the sun, and Kevin Casey's sac fly to right field gave W&M a 1-0 lead.
The Huskies struck back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame.
Gabe Levanti (1-for-5, R, RBI, 2B) led off with a double to centerfield and Hanley followed with a single to put runners on the corners with nobody out.
Sean Lyons' (1-for-1, RBI) RBI single evened the score, and
Connor Lyons' infield single allowed Hanley to score and put the Huskies ahead, 2-1.
William & Mary loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning and Tim Hoehn's ground out allowed Hissey to touch home and tie the game, 2-2, but NU starting pitcher
Dustin Hunt evaded further trouble by inducing a couple of shallow fly outs.
Northeastern once again had an answer when
Josh Treff (1-for-2, R) led off the home half of the fourth by getting hit by a pitch.
Connor Lyons and
Michael Foster (2-for-4, RBI, 2B) followed with consecutive singles to load the bases with nobody out, and
Jason Vosler's (2-for-4, RBI, 2B) single through the right side allowed the Huskies to reclaim the lead, 3-2. Levanti added to NU advantage with a sac fly to score Lyons.
The Huskies showed little sign of slowing down as
Brad Burcroff (1-for-4, R) began the bottom of the fifth inning with an infield single and moved into scoring position when
Shane Allen (0-for-4, R) grounded out during a hit-and-run. Treff's single moved Burcroff another 90 feet, and Lyons' single through the right side increased the Huskies' lead to 5-2.
Northeastern appeared to have all but secured a win when it took a 6-2 lead after Foster's sac fly scored Allen in the seventh inning, but things started to unravel for the Huskies in the eighth inning.
Foster moved from second base to the mound in relief of Hunt (7.0 IP, 6 H, 5 BB, 2 ER, 4 K), and the NU closer put the first batter he faced on base by hitting Hissey. Devin White's ground out moved Hissey into scoring position, and Kevin Casey hit a triple to cut W&M's deficit to 6-3. A throwing error by Foster allowed Tim Hoehn to reach base as Casey stayed at third, but Northeastern was poised to get out of the inning after Foster struck out Derek Lowe for the second out. However, Kevin Nutter hit an RBI single to make the score 6-4, and a throwing error by third baseman
Mike Piscopo during the next at-bat continued the Tribe's rally. Michael Katz delivered a two-run single to knot the game, 6-6.
Northeastern bats were silenced in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Tribe sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the ninth. Hissey led off with a single and reached second base after Josh Smith's sac bunt went right back to the mound, but Foster's throw to second pulled Vosler off of the bag. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch and Casey singled up the middle to knock in the go-ahead run. Nutter's sac fly later in the inning allowed Smith to score an insurance run that made the score 8-6 in favor of the Tribe.
The Huskies loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning after Treff was again hit by a pitch, followed by Foster's double to deep-right center and an intentional walk to Vosler.
Jimmy Hand came in as a pinch-hitter and struck out, and Levanti's fly out to right field ended the game.
Northeastern hosts Boston College, Harvard and Massachusetts for the Beanpot Tournament consolation and championship games on Monday, April 21. The Huskies square off against B.C. in the consolation game at 11:30 a.m.
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