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BROOKLINE, Mass. – Cashing in for seven runs during the final two innings of Tuesday's game against Boston College, the Northeastern baseball team nearly completed a 10-run comeback during its 2017 home opener at Friedman Diamond, despite the Eagles holding on to defeat the Huskies, 10-7.
 
Northeastern (7-11) entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing BC, 10-0, before Pat Madigan's leadoff homer sparked a six-run rally that witnessed 12 Huskies come to the plate, eight of whom batted with two outs. Charlie McConnell's double to left center and Mason Koppens' two-RBI triple down the right-field line put the wheels in motion for Northeastern's comeback effort, before the Huskies drew four consecutive walks off Boston College reliever Sean Hughes.
 
Nick Fanneron continued Northeastern's late-game surge during the bottom of the ninth, crushing a pinch-hit homer to right field and bringing the Huskies to within three runs of the Eagles. Although McConnell followed Fanneron with his second double of the afternoon, Cam Hanley lined out to short before Zach Perry flied out to center, ending the game.
 
NU freshman Tom Githens cooled off Boston College (7-11) during four and two-thirds innings of relief, striking out five. Githens relieved starter Sean Mellen midway through the Eagles' three-run third inning, collecting eight outs from the first nine batters he faced. Will Jahn tossed the eighth and ninth innings for the Huskies, surrendering two runs, one coming on an RBI single by Dante Baldelli.
 
McConnell accounted for three of Northeastern's eight hits on Tuesday, breaking through with a sixth-inning single before hammering his pair of late-inning doubles. Five of the Huskies' hits also came from the top three spots in the batting order.
 
Max Burt successfully extended his hitting streak to 11 games upon tapping a ground ball through the right side of the infield during the bottom of the second inning.
 
Shortstop Johnny Adams went two-for-five to lead Boston College, while Baldelli, the Eagles' center fielder, went one-for-two with two runs scored, two RBIs, and a walk. BC cycled through six different pitchers after Jack Nelson had completed his four-inning start, throwing 45 pitches while keeping the Huskies off the scoreboard.
 
The Eagles did Mellen in for four runs during the top of the first inning despite recording only one hit. BC capitalized on a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch to jump in front, 2-0, before Cam Walsh dropped a fly ball in right field, allowing the visitors to tack on two unearned runs. Boston College extended its lead to 5-0 before the Huskies could record an out during the third inning and scored twice more that frame with Githens on the bump to take a 7-0 edge.
 
Tuesday's meeting was the 162nd all-time between Northeastern and Boston College. With their victory, the Eagles improved their lead in the series to 96-64-2.
 
UP NEXT
 
Northeastern will trek to Elon on Friday, March 24, to begin a three-game CAA series against the Phoenix. First pitch times in order from Friday to Sunday are listed as 6 p.m., 4 p.m., and 12:30 p.m. (moved up 90 minutes from 2 p.m.).