Gameday Information: Game 20 vs. Boston College  |  Game 21 vs. UMass Lowell
When	Game 20: Tuesday, March 24  |  3 p.m. Game 21: Wednesday, March 25  |  3 p.m.
Where	Friedman Diamond |  Brookline, Mass. |  Directions
Pitching probables	Game 20: Isaac Lippert (0-2, 4.61 ERA) vs. John Gorman (1-2, 6.04 ERA) Game 21: Brian Christian (0-0, 1.69 ERA) vs. Jeffrey Peterson (0-2, 9.00 ERA)
Broadcast and stats	Game 20: Stats | Audio | Video Game 21: Stats | Audio | Video
Game notes	Game 20: Northeastern (PDF) Game 21: Northeastern (PDF)
Social media	@GoNUbaseball  facebook.com/GoNUbaseball instagram.com/GoNUathletics Use #GoNU

BOSTON - Crosstown rivals collide on the baseball field this week at Friedman Diamond as the Northeastern baseball team opens its 2015 home schedule with a pair of weekday games against Boston College and UMass Lowell. The Huskies will begin a six-game home stand with a 3 p.m. game on Tuesday, March 24, against the Eagles of BC before hosting the River Hawks of UMass Lowell on Wednesday, March 25, at 3 p.m.
 
All-time against Boston College
 
Northeastern will meet Boston College for the 158th time in program history on Tuesday as the two teams renew their annual local rivalry. The Huskies have squared off against the Eagles at least once during each season dating back to 1946, 24 years after NU and BC had faced each other for the first time in 1922. Although Boston College leads the all-time series, 91-64-2, Northeastern has won four straight games against the Eagles and five out of its last six matchups opposite BC.
 
All-time against UMass Lowell
 
Despite owning a 20-6 advantage in the all-time series against UMass Lowell, Northeastern has posted a 2-3 record during its last five head-to-head games against the River Hawks dating back to 1987. The Huskies did have UMass Lowell's number prior to 1952 when the school was still named the Lowell Textile School, winning 18 of its first 21 games against its local Beantown foe. Last season, NU defeated the River Hawks, 7-3, behind a four-for-five outing from Michael Foster and a three-for-three performance by Keith Kelly.
 
Scouting the Eagles
 
While Tuesday's game against BC will be Northeastern's first home game of the 2015 season, record snowfall this winter in Boston has already forced Boston College to move six games away from its home field in Chestnut Hill. Although the Eagles (6-13, 1-7 ACC) have been swept in three three-game series by No. 4 LSU, No. 22 Florida State, and No. 18 Louisville, BC did win three out of four games at the 2015 Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte, Florida. Against common opponents, Boston College defeated Kansas, 6-4, on March 1, the day after NU lost to the Jayhawks, 4-6, on Feb. 28. Casey Donovan leads the Eagles with a .318 batting average while Chris Shaw has driven in a quarter (20) of the team's 80 RBIs. Pitcher John Gorman (1-2, 6.04 ERA) is second on the team in strikeouts with 26, but has the highest opponent batting average among BC starters (.299).
 
Scouting the River Hawks
 
UMass Lowell (3-9, 0-0 America East) split its 2015 season-opening series against Georgia State between Feb. 20 and Feb. 22, but has since dropped seven of its last eight games. The River Hawks are currently in their second season of reclassifying from Division II to Division I, having won 20 games overall in 2014 and finishing its first season in the America East with a 10-10 conference record. Shortstop Danny Mendick leads the team with a .395 batting average, four doubles, and 10 RBIs, while Matthew Sanchez has scored 10 runs for UMass Lowell while hitting .326. Six different pitchers have started the River Hawks' 12 games this season, but Kevin Veilleux (1-2, 5.79 ERA) is first on the team with 14.0 innings pitched.
 
Are we there yet?
 
Northeastern has opened the 2015 campaign with 19 straight road games, the longest stretch the Huskies have endured to start a season since 2008 when NU played 20 consecutive games away from Friedman Diamond. March 24 is also the latest home opener the Huskies have played since the 2008 season when the Huskies lost to Boston College, 8-7, on April 1. NU is also the only team in the CAA that is yet to play a home game this year.
 
Huskies in home openers
 
NU has won three straight home openers against Brown (2012), Boston College (2013), and Niagara (2014). Since 2000, Northeastern has played its first home game against Boston College a total of three times (2001, 2008, and 2009), but has only defeated the Eagles once, 4-3, in a 10-inning game on April 3, 2001.
 
Better to be safe than sorry

Right fielder Pat Madigan and utility fielder Michael Foster both enter Tuesday's game against Boston College riding double-digit reached-base streaks. Madigan has reached base safely in 15 straight games, while Foster has made it to first at least once during each of his last 12 games.
 
Hanley's hit streak unlucky at 13
 
Sophomore Cam Hanley's 13-game hit streak came to an end on Sunday, March 22 against UNCW, but not before the third baseman and designated hitter had recorded 18 hits, two doubles, 5 RBIs, and seven runs. Hanley is currently hitting .273 on the year and has also reached base on seven walks this season.
 
Numbers never lie
 
Despite a 0-3 conference record, several Huskies are enjoying strong statistical performances during the first half of the season. Michael Foster leads the CAA with a .439 batting average (29-for-66) and is also ranked 10th nationally in the same category. The redshirt-junior is also tied for the conference lead in triples (three) and is sixth in stolen bases (five). Senior co-captain Nick Berger is ranked sixth in the league in ERA (3.82) and second in strikeouts with 33, one more than teammate Dustin Hunt's 32. Pat Madigan's on-base percentage of .435 is eighth best in the CAA, six positions behind Foster's percentage of .500.