Box Score | Season Stats | Infographic

BROOKLINE, Mass. – Nick Berger and Aaron Civale combined to pitch the Northeastern baseball team's second shutout of the season on Friday afternoon as the Huskies defeated James Madison, 1-0, winning the first of a three-game series.
 
Berger netted his second combined shutout of the season nearly a full month after tossing seven scoreless frames in a 7-0 victory on March 13 against La Salle. The senior co-captain went 8.0 innings deep and struck out five batters, including James Madison's top hitter, Ky Parrott, a total of four times.
 
Speed was of the essence on Friday afternoon as the Huskies and Dukes completed nine innings in just one hour and 48 minutes, the shortest game Northeastern (12-20, 5-5 CAA) has played all season.
 
Shortstop Michael Foster knocked in the game's only run on an RBI double to left-center field in the bottom of the eighth. After Burt was hit by a pitch with two strikes, Foster unleashed a 0-1 pitch to the deepest part of the park, allowing Burt to round third and score easily to put NU in front, 1-0. Foster also put on a defensive clinic at shortstop, chasing down nearly every ground ball hit towards his way to keep JMU runners off the bases.
 
Right fielder Joey Scambia finished the game going two-for-three from the plate, while sophomore Gabe Levanti made his first start of the year at designated hitter, ending the day one-for-four. Cam Hanley smoked a double to right center during the bottom of the first inning, picking up his fifth two-bagger of the season.
 
Civale recorded his third save of the year after needing only 12 pitches to retire James Madison (12-19, 2-8 CAA) in the top of the ninth.
 
Despite tallying seven base-hits and no defensive errors, the Dukes were not able to advance a runner to third base the entire game. Aaron Hoover allowed just one run on six hits in 8.0 innings of work as the JMU pitcher earned a complete-game loss. Bobby San Martin belted two of the Dukes' seven hits, while Kevin Husum went one-for-four out of the lead-off spot for James Madison.
 
Base runners were few and far between for both teams on Friday. Berger recovered nicely after surrendering a lead-off single during the Dukes' first at-bat of the game, retiring each of the next five hitters.
 
During the bottom of the inning, Levanti beat out a ground ball hit down the third-base line for a single before Hanley doubled, moving Levanti over to third. Treff, however, would strike out on an eight-pitch at-bat, stranding two runners for NU.
 
Kyle Weston opened the fifth inning for JMU with a single, but was called out during the next at-bat after Bradley McKay's single hit Weston on his foot as he was advancing to second. The offensive miscue favored Northeastern as Berger forced Michael Sciorra and Husum to both fly out, ending the inning.
 
Mason Koppens was able to reach base on a walk that started the bottom of the fifth, but Maxwell Burt proceeded to ground into a 6-3 double play that erased both runners and put two quick outs on the scoreboard. James Madison would put two runners on base in the sixth after Brett Johnson and San Martin hit consecutive singles, but Koppens snagged a fly ball to put away the Dukes in the inning.
 
With the game tied, 0-0, heading into the bottom of the eighth, Hoover went ahead 0-2 in the count to Burt, but his 2-2 pitch hit the NU second baseman in the shin, giving him a free pass to first base. Foster took advantage of the late-game base runner and creamed a ball straight to the left-center field gap, putting the Huskies ahead, 1-0.
 
Civale replaced Berger in the top of the ninth inning and forced Johnson and San Martin to ground out to shortstop before striking out Chad Carroll, swinging, on a 2-2 pitch.
 
Northeastern and James Madison will be back at it on the baseball diamond on Saturday, April 11, at 1 p.m. for game two of this weekend's three-game home series at Friedman Diamond. The first 50 fans in attendance will receive a free Northeastern baseball t-shirt and hat combo courtesy of the Double Husky program.