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SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Despite scoring four runs on seven hits during the opening three and a half innings of Wednesday's game at Bryant, the Northeastern baseball team caught a cold spell and witnessed its 4-1, midgame advantage come undone as the Huskies succumbed to a 10th-inning, walk-off hit in a 5-4 loss to the Bulldogs.
 
Ryan Solomon's two-RBI double during the top of the first inning prompted the start Northeastern (22-19) had been looking for against Bryant (22-21). Charlie McConnell had led off the game with a leadoff single off the Bulldogs' starter, Chris Wright, and moved into scoring position during the next at-bat courtesy of Mason Koppens' seven-pitch walk. Two batters later, Solomon worked another long at-bat against Wright and connected on the eighth pitch he received, sending it off the left field fence as McConnell and Koppens both came around to score.
 
Michael Geaslen continued the Huskies' offensive prowess during the second inning by cracking a leadoff single into center field, the first of three hits on the day for the NU catcher. After an errant throw had awarded Northeastern a two-on, no-out scenario, McConnell provided the ground ball that moved Geaslen over to third base while reaching himself on a fielder's choice. Koppens proceeded to slap an RBI groundout to the right side, scoring Geaslen to give the Huskies a 3-0 edge.
 
Rookie starting pitcher Tom Githens faced the minimum through two innings, but ran into trouble for the first time during the bottom of the third. There, Githens surrendered a leadoff double to James Ciliento and a bunt single to Joe Paparelli, resulting in Bryant being able to bring the tying run to the plate. Geaslen would aid his pitcher by throwing out Paparelli on a steal attempt, but the Bulldogs would manage to cut the NU lead to 3-1 on Nick Angelini's RBI roller through the left side.
 
Northeastern's seven through nine hitters recorded consecutive singles to begin the fourth inning, loading the bases for the Huskies. Cam Walsh directed the first of his two hits to center field while Geaslen found a window on the left side, both taking place before David Hopkins bunted each runner over in addition to beating out the throw for a single. McConnell then carried a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Walsh to put NU in front, 4-1.
 
Bryant matched the Huskies' fourth-inning run in similar fashion as Ciliento lifted a sacrifice fly to center off Sean Mellen, reducing Northeastern's lead to 4-2.
 
Tyler Brown relieved Mellen during the next inning and threw two scoreless frames, benefitting from a fluke fifth-inning, 6-4-3 double play – the Huskies' second of three twin killings on Wednesday. Angelini's ground ball to short took a bad hop off Max Burt's body but magically landed in Hopkins' glove at second base, where he fired to Hanley to complete the sequence.
 
Will Jahn came on in relief of Brown to start the seventh inning, but gave up a pair of singles to Bryant before being exchanged for Kyle Murphy. Facing two runners in scoring position, Murphy picked up the second out of the inning on a sacrifice fly that tightened the score to 4-3, but conceded the game-tying RBI single to Mickey Gasper that leveled the game at 4-4.
 
NU put its two leadoff hitters aboard during the top of the eighth inning, but a ground ball off Geaslen's bat triggered a 6-3 double play that weakened the Huskies' momentum.
 
Brian Rodriguez came on to preserve the 4-4 score line during the bottom of the eighth, successfully stranding the potential go-ahead run at third base.
 
After Northeastern had stranded two on base during the top of the ninth, Rodriguez received a fortunate break as McConnell doubled up Bryant's leadoff runner, Angelini, at first base upon misjudging the fly ball in right field.
 
Rodriguez sandwiched two outs around a one-out single to Malik Daley during the bottom of the 10th, but was unable to earn the final out. With runners on first and second, Angelini lifted a fly ball into the wind in left field, which landed outside the reach of the diving Walsh.
 
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Northeastern will begin a three-game road series against UNCW on Friday, May 5, at 7 p.m.