Hunt retires 12 straight as NU holds off JMU, 3-2

Sophomore Dustin Hunt struck out eight JMU batters in 7.0 innings on the mound for the Huskies on Saturday

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BROOKLINE, Mass. – Three runs on four hits were enough for the Northeastern baseball team to hold off James Madison on Saturday as the Huskies raised their CAA winning percentage above .500 for the first time this season with a 3-2 victory against the Dukes.

Sophomore ace Dustin Hunt threw 7.0 strong innings for Northeastern (13-20, 6-5 CAA), allowing just one run, unearned, on four hits while striking out eight. Hunt also picked up his 50th strikeout of the season when he fanned Ky Parrott in the sixth inning, leaving the game with a team-best 51 strikeouts on the year.

Josh Treff went one-for-two with an RBI, a run scored, a walk, and a stolen base. The redshirt-junior catcher from Salem, New Hampshire, drove in the Huskies' first run of the day in the bottom of the second when he blasted a full-count pitch to right center for a double, his seventh of the season.

First baseman Cam Hanley singled as a part of Northeastern's second-inning rally, finishing the game with a one-for-four outing at the plate. Keith Kelly came up big for NU as the squad's designated hitter, going one-for-two with a walk and a run scored.

Mike Fitzgerald earned a two-inning save, his third in 2015. The redshirt sophomore allowed one earned run on three hits, throwing one strikeout to bump up his season total to 22 out of the NU bullpen.

In back-to-back games against James Madison, Northeastern's pitching staff has combined for two runs, one earned run, 15 strikeouts, no walks, and only one extra-base hit (double). Saturday's game is also the first time the Huskies' hurlers have not walked a batter during two consecutive nine-inning games since 2013 against Western Michigan (March 2) and Valparaiso (March 3).

Josh Wyatt led James Madison (12-20, 2-9 CAA) with three hits in four at-bats, including a two-out double in the third inning that led to him scoring the Dukes' first run of the game. Eric Yankey was in line for the loss after being on the mound for all three of Northeastern's runs in the second inning, but he surrendered just four hits in 5.0 innings of work. Yankey, along with JMU relievers Brandon Withers and Colton Harlow, combined for 12 strikeouts compared to the Huskies' nine.

Following a scoreless first inning, Hanley singled to right center, waking up the NU bats in the bottom of the second. During the next at-bat, Treff doubled through the gap in right-center, giving the Huskies an early 1-0 lead. A well-placed bunt by Nolan Lang allowed Treff to move over to third, and the Northeastern catcher came into score as the James Madison third baseman misfired a throw that went wide of the bag at second on a potential double-play ball.

Leading, 2-0, Northeastern increased its advantage to 3-0 on another defensive miscue by the Dukes, this time as Kelly scored courtesy of Yankey botching a routine throw to first.

James Madison would find its offensive form in the top of the third as Wyatt doubled with two outs down the left-field line before Parrott singled to second base. Maxwell Burt misjudged a throw to first after making a diving stop, but his throwing error allowed Wyatt to turn around third and head home, cutting the NU lead to 3-1.

Hunt began to find a rhythm during the middle of the game as he retired 12 consecutive hitters between the third and seventh innings. The sophomore also struck out four straight JMU batters during the stretch, sending Michael Sciorra and Kevin Husum back to the dugout to end the fifth before fanning Wyatt and Parrott to open the sixth.

The Dukes' pitching rotation kept Northeastern without a hit during the final four innings of the game, but great defense by the Huskies allowed NU to remain in front of James Madison the rest of the way. JMU would score one run after Fitzgerald conceded base-hits to three of the first four batters he faced, but Lang helped initiate a 5-4-3 double-play that helped the Northeastern reliever out of the jam in the eighth. Fitzgerald needed just nine pitches to secure the save and the victory for the Huskies in the ninth.

Northeastern will close out its three-game home series against James Madison on Sunday, April 12, at 12 p.m. James Mulry will make his first start since striking out five Boston College hitters during the 2015 Beanpot semifinals last Wednesday.

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Players Mentioned

#35 Mike Fitzgerald: RHP; 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/R

#10 Cam Hanley: 3B; 5' 11"; Sophomore; L/R

#45 Dustin Hunt: RHP; 6' 5"; Sophomore; R/R

#4 Keith Kelly: INF; 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior; L/R

#34 James Mulry: LHP; 6' 3"; Junior; R/L

#28 Josh Treff: C; 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; R/R

#24 Max Burt: INF; 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R

#16 Nolan Lang: INF; 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#35 Mike Fitzgerald
: 5' 10"; Redshirt Sophomore; L/R
: RHP

#10 Cam Hanley
: 5' 11"; Sophomore; L/R
: 3B

#45 Dustin Hunt
: 6' 5"; Sophomore; R/R
: RHP

#4 Keith Kelly
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Junior; L/R
: INF

#34 James Mulry
: 6' 3"; Junior; R/L
: LHP

#28 Josh Treff
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Junior; R/R
: C

#24 Max Burt
: 6' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: INF

#16 Nolan Lang
: 6' 0"; Freshman; R/R
: INF