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BROOKLINE, Mass. – Littering the Friedman Diamond alleys with six extra-base hits, the Northeastern baseball team relied on its power to outmuscle James Madison during Thursday's series opener, winning by a one-run margin, 4-3, to remain as the second-place team in the CAA standings.
 
Six different NU players accounted for the Huskies' six extra-base hits, highlighted by Jimmy Hand's sixth-inning solo homer and John Mazza's first career triple that was ripped during the very next at-bat. Charlie McConnell also legged out a three-base hit for Northeastern (26-23, 14-7 CAA), which entered the day ranked in a tie for sixth among Division I programs in triples (24, now 26).
 
Including the Huskies, each of the top three teams in the CAA held serve and sported league victories on Thursday, freezing the postseason picture for at least one more day. By virtue of fifth-place College of Charleston's 17-4 loss against third-place Delaware, Northeastern has clinched at least one of the top four seeds in next week's CAA tourney.
 
Max Burt set the Huskies on a winning course during the bottom of the second inning, pummeling his team-leading, 16th double of the season through the gap in left center. Burt would move up 90 feet on each of the next two pitches thrown by JMU starter, Christian Bourne, tagging and advancing to third on Pat Madigan's opposite-way fly and scoring on Hand's RBI single up the middle.
 
After racking up three strikeouts during the top of the second inning, Nate Borges allowed James Madison (24-25, 7-15 CAA) to load the bases without a hit, issuing three third-inning walks to the Dukes. Luckily, Borges induced the inning-ending fly ball to left field, where Madigan was there to alleviate the pressure.  
 
McConnell continued the parade of extra base hits during the bottom of the third, launching a stand-up triple through the right center alley and to the wall. Two batters later, Cam Hanley barreled a 3-1 pitch to left field for an RBI single, providing Northeastern with a two-run cushion.
 
JMU came roaring back during the top of the fifth as Kyle McPherson and Fox Semones knocked back-to-back extra-base hits off Borges, halving the Huskies' lead at 2-1. McPherson had connected on a first-pitch triple to left center, while Semones followed with an RBI double to the same location.
 
Unable to bring Hanley home after his fifth-inning double, Northeastern regained a two-run edge during the bottom of the sixth, when Hand launched a solo homer to the right field bleachers.
 
Mazza continued the two-out fireworks by swinging his first-ever triple down the right field foul line, sliding into third base safely with his first of two hits on Thursday. He later added an eighth-inning RBI single that proved to be pivotal during the Huskies' one-run victory.
 
Tyler Brown relieved Borges after six innings on the mound, but his errant throw to first base during the leadoff at-bat of the seventh inning led to the Dukes scoring their first of two unearned runs during the final three innings. Adam Sisk and Brett Johnson went on to record back-to-back singles during the same inning, with Johnson's RBI hit tightening the score to 3-2.
 
Andrew Misiaszek began the eighth inning on the hill for the Huskies, collecting the first out before surrendering consecutive singles to JMU. Mike Fitzgerald took over after Misiaszek had managed to strike out Garrett Marchand and picked up the four-out save, despite James Madison pulling within a run of Northeastern during the top of the ninth.
 
UP NEXT
 
Northeastern will be hosting its Strike Out ALS Game during Friday's 1 p.m. matchup between the Huskies and the Dukes. Both teams will be wearing special wristbands to signify their participation "Band Together to Strike Out ALS," a charity event started by former Boston College outfielder and captain, Pete Frates. Throughout the game, NU will be encouraging donations to help the Pete Frates #3 Fund, supporting medical coverage for ALS patients without health care.