MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – In game two of their 2023 CAA Tournament run, the #3 seed Northeastern Huskies (43-12) defeated the #2 seed Elon Phoenix (32-21) in a close contest, winning 2-1 on Thursday afternoon at Patriots Point.
The Huskies' pitching staff led by starter
Wyatt Scotti, and relievers
Patrick Harrington (W, 6-0) and
Griffin Young (SV, 10) combined for a four-hit, one-run effort to help alleviate some pressure on the offense. Runs were delivered by
Gregory Bozzo off the bat of
Mike Sirota, and
Alex Lane in the eighth scored the go-ahead run off the bat of
Luke Beckstein.
- An early pitchers duel saw both starting pitchers deliver scoreless frames in the opening three innings, despite three hits, two walks for the Huskies and one hit, two walks for the Phoenix.
- The Huskies broke the stalemate in the top of the fourth inning on an RBI single for Mike Sirota. Gregory Bozzo found himself on second after a one-out walk and a sacrifice bunt, and Sirota delivered another two-out RBI to give Northeastern a 1-0 lead.
- Northeastern starter Wyatt Scotti worked six scoreless innings, scattering three hits and allowing three walks, but striking out five. His last two strikeouts came in his last inning of work with the Phoenix threatening with two runners on.
- The Phoenix hit a low line drive to left center field that dropped in front of Sirota with a runner in scoring position. Sirota fired home and beat the runner but the runner was able to get around the tag and tie the game up at 1-1.
- The Huskies retook the lead in the top of the eighth when Luke Beckstein hit a liner to left field that bounced off the glove of the outfielder, scoring Alex Lane from second base.
- Harrington took over in the inning prior, working one full inning with a hit, a walk, and a strikeout, earning his sixth win as a Husky.
- Entering the game in the eighth was Griffin Young who slammed the door shut with two innings of relief. He struck out the first five batters he faced and then forced a fly out to Cam Maldonado to end the contest.
- It was just Northeastern's second win of the season when scoring two or fewer runs.
- The Huskies improve to 2-0 in games played on Thursdays and 5-1 in night games.
- The Huskies' first two games of the 2023 CAA tournament have been against teams who won the regular season series against them, 2-1.
The Huskies advance to the semifinals to face the #1 seed, UNCW, at 4 p.m. at Patriots Point. The winner of that contest moves on to the championship game with the winner's bracket advantage.
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