Box Score | Season Statistics | Infographic

NEWARK, Del. – Scoring during all but two innings of Thursday's series opener at Delaware, the Northeastern baseball team locked up a first-round bye in the 2018 CAA tournament by blanking the Blue Hens, 10-0, at Bob Hannah Stadium, jointly laying claim to the program's record-breaking, 32nd regular-season win.
 
John Mazza and Scott Holzwasser combined to swing five of the Huskies' eight RBI hits, which accounted for nine of the squad's 10 runs. Mazza led NU with three RBIs during his three-for-five outing, singling home Max Burt during the fourth inning and Holzwasser during the fifth inning before unleashing a seventh-inning solo homer.
 
Northeastern (32-17, 16-6 CAA) successfully placed its leadoff batter aboard during seven of the game's nine innings – a feat that included Charlie McConnell five times. McConnell reached safely during each of his six plate appearances, tripling to open the fifth inning while belting two other singles en route to scoring three runs. He also walked twice and was one of three NU hit batsmen.
 
With the victory, Northeastern guaranteed itself either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed in next week's CAA tournament, which will take place at James Madison's Veterans Memorial Park. The Huskies could clinch a share of the 2018 CAA regular-season title as early as Thursday night if UNCW were to defeat College of Charleston.
 
David Stiehl made his fourth start of the season for Northeastern, scattering just four hits and striking out two batters across five shutout innings. Stiehl stranded the bases loaded during the bottom of the fifth inning – as did NU reliever Brian Rodriguez during the bottom of the sixth inning.
 
Sam Jacobsak pitched a scoreless ninth inning, receiving assistance from the Huskies' game-ending, 6-4-3 double play.
 
After Northeastern had plated two runs during the opening inning, Jake Farrell raised the Huskies' lead to 3-0 during the third inning upon powering his team leading, eighth home run of the year to right field.
 
NU went on to turn Burt's fourth-inning, leadoff double into its fourth run of the game before piling on three runs during the top of the fifth.
 
Immediately after McConnell's leadoff triple, Ian Fair slugged a two-run homer to right center, proudly extending his on-base streak to 34 consecutive games. Fifth-inning walks by Matt Hornich to Holzwasser and Ryan Solomon prolonged the inning for Delaware (29-24, 12-10 CAA), which slipped behind, 7-0, on Mazza's second RBI single.
 
Northeastern scored its final two runs of the day with Holzwasser's seventh-inning, RBI single and Walsh's ninth-inning, RBI double.
 
UP NEXT
 
The Huskies and the Blue Hens are scheduled to play game two of their three-game CAA series on Friday, May 18, at 3 p.m. Fans are encouraged to stay tuned to GoNU.com and @GoNUbaseball on Twitter for weather-related updates.