Box Score | Season Statistics | Recap




CONWAY, S.C. – With junior left-hander Sean Mellen striking out a season high, nine batters, across his seven scoreless innings pitched, the Northeastern baseball team capped its stay at the 2019 CCU Baseball Tournament (hosted by Coastal Carolina) on Monday with an upset takedown of No. 28 Illinois as the Huskies topped the Illini, 8-1, at Springs Brooks Stadium.
 
Mellen dominated during his second scoreless start of the season, issuing just two walks while limiting Illinois (7-3) to three hits – only one of which landed for extra bases (double). The six-foot-five ace began the morning by retiring each of the first six batters he faced before completing his outing by stranding a total of three runners in scoring position.
 
Scott Holzwasser led Northeastern (5-5) offensively, swinging a career high, four hits, during his four-for-four day that featured two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Holzwasser's first-inning double would have brought home Jake Farrell from first base had it not been for Illinois' successful 7-6-2 relay that caught Farrell at the plate for the inning-ending out.
 
The Huskies broke through with the game's first runs during the bottom of the fourth inning, rallying for four runs on four hits.
 
After Holzwasser and Corey DiLoreto had hit back-to-back, one-out singles, Jeff Costello followed with an RBI double to right center, putting Northeastern in front, 1-0. Ryan Solomon proceeded to knock a two-RBI single and take two extra bases on an errant infield throw, scoring on Spenser Smith's RBI groundout to widen the Huskies' lead to 4-0.
 
Cam Walsh opened Northeastern's three-run fifth inning with a leadoff home run – his first of the season. In the wake of Illinois' call to the bullpen, the Huskies loaded the bases, tacking on two more runs courtesy of a bases-loaded walk and a wild pitch.
 
Holzwasser bumped Northeastern's lead to 8-0 during the sixth inning, when his RBI double scored Michael Geaslen.
 
Josh Winkler threw a scoreless eighth inning before the Illini rallied for their lone run against Owen Batchelder. Kyle Murphy picked up the game's final three outs as the Huskies celebrated their fifth victory against an NCBWA opponent under the leadership of fifth-year head coach Mike Glavine.