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BROOKLINE, Mass. – After stranding the tying run at second base in the top of the fourth, Aaron Civale came back to post four straight scoreless frames as the Northeastern baseball team took Friday's series opener against Elon, 6-3, at Friedman Diamond.
 
Civale worked through eight full innings on the mound for the fourth time this season, striking out six and walking two while allowing three runs on seven hits. With the exception of a walk and a bunt single, he shut down the Phoenix from the fifth to the eighth, collecting his fifth victory of the year (5-1). NU closer Mike Fitzgerald earned his fifth save of 2016, throwing back-to-back strikeouts in the ninth while lowering his season ERA to a team low, 1.93.
 
Northeastern (15-12, 4-2 CAA) frequented the bases on Friday with the help of 14 walks by Elon pitchers Mason Daniels (nine), and Ryan Conroy (five). Every NU batter reached base at least twice with the exception of Mason Koppens, who picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
 
Considering the Huskies' six runs, only two were scored by base hits. Catcher Josh Treff rocketed a single past the Phoenix's third baseman in the bottom of the fourth, while right fielder Cam Walsh provided the Huskies with their final run of the day on an eighth-inning single through the left side. The remaining four NU runs were scored on a walk, a fielder's choice, and two sacrifice flies.
 
Northeastern managed to move runners around the diamond without swinging the bat during the first inning, taking advantage of four consecutive walks by Daniels that scored Kelly and credited Burt with an RBI. Every NU runner was in motion when Walsh hit into a 4-6 fielder's choice at second, allowing Madigan to touch home to put the Huskies ahead, 2-0. By the end of the first, Northeastern had scored two runs without a hit.
 
Will Nance dug in for an RBI triple to the right-field corner off Civale in the top of the second that helped Elon (10-20, 2-7 CAA) halve the Huskies' lead at 2-1. NU first baseman Jake Farrell answered with an extra-base hit of his own to leadoff the bottom of the inning, doubling to right and coming into score two batters later on Charlie McConnell's sacrifice fly to center.
 
With Burt and Walsh aboard with a pair of walks in the third, Treff powered a scorcher to the hot corner, bouncing the ball over the Elon third baseman's head for an RBI single that upped Northeastern's lead to 4-1. Like Burt had done earlier in the inning, Treff too stole second base, but the Huskies stranded two before reaching the top of their order.
 
Liam O'Regan brought the Phoenix back within a run on a two-run homer in the fourth, his fourth of the year. Two more Elon batters would reach against Civale following an infield single and a walk, but the NU ace closed the door, forcing Ryne Ogren to fly out to end the rally.
 
Northeastern loaded the bases again in the seventh on a single by Burt and consecutive walks to Treff and Farrell. Koppens' fly ball carried deep enough to bring Burt across, boosting the Huskies' lead to 5-3. Walsh added the final insurance run in the eighth, leaving plenty of room for Fitzgerald to pick up the save.
 
The Huskies and the Phoenix will return to Friedman Diamond for game two of their series on Saturday, April 9, at 1 p.m.