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HARRISONBURG, Va. – Scoring early and often during Sunday's weekend finale at Veterans Memorial Park, the Northeastern baseball team secured its first CAA series victory of the 2018 season, collecting the 8-1 win against James Madison.
 
Jake Farrell drove in three of the Huskies' first four runs of the day. The junior first baseman put Northeastern (14-10, 2-1 CAA) ahead, 1-0, during the first inning upon delivering an RBI double to left center, then proceeded to barrel a two-run homer during the top of the third inning that padded the Huskies' lead at the time to 4-0.

Cam Walsh went three-for-five out of the second spot in Northeastern's lineup and also reached safely on the first of the Dukes' five defensive errors. Walsh crossed the plate during both of Farrell's extra-base hits and, during the fourth inning, followed Charlie McConnell's RBI groundout with an RBI single that raised the Huskies' lead to 6-1.
 
NU left-hander Sean Mellen was gifted a 1-0 lead by Farrell's double and protected it beautifully, limiting James Madison (14-12, 2-4 CAA) to five hits while striking out three batters across five and two-thirds innings. Mellen surrendered his only run to DaVonn Griffin during the bottom of the third inning after the JMU center fielder had carried a 1-2 pitch beyond the outfield fence.
 
Upon receiving his sixth winning decision of the 2018 season, Mellen (6-1) now co-leads all Division I pitchers in victories. He has also allowed no more than two earned runs during six of his seven starts this season.
 
Michael Geaslen scored a pair of runs for the Huskies, reaching base three times with the help of two walks. The NU catcher charged home for the first time on a passed ball during the top second inning – one of four unearned runs Northeastern registered on Sunday.
 
James Madison committed two errors under starting pitcher Nick Stewart's watch, who was charged with the loss after surviving just two and two-thirds innings.
 
Offensively, the Dukes charted eight hits – three of which belonged to catcher and first baseman Michael Morgan – despite stranding nine runners aboard. JMU loaded the bases with one out during the bottom of the sixth inning, but was kept scoreless by Mellen's final strikeout and Andrew Misiaszek's induced fly out.
 
Misiaszek and Kyle Murphy combined to toss three and one-third scoreless innings of relief, together striking out three.
 
UP NEXT
 
Northeastern will conclude its 10-game road trip at Massachusetts on Tuesday, April 3, during the semifinal round of the 2018 Beanpot tournament. The Huskies will set out in search of hoisting their first Beanpot title since 2013. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.