PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – Looking for the game three series sweep, Northeastern (3-2) lost a close battle with Indiana State (4-3) by a score of 5-4 at Centennial Park on Sunday afternoon.
 

• For the third game of the weekend, and fifth in a row overall, the Huskies struck first: after a Harrison Feinberg one-out double to shallow left, Cam Maldonado hit a line drive single through the right side to score Feinberg for the 1-0 lead.
• With two outs in the top of the fifth, the Huskies put up four straight singles to extend the inning and the lead. Ryan Gerety led it off with a deep single up the middle to the second baseman, and then made it to third on a hit-and-run with Maldonado. With runners at the corners, Alex Lane hit a single through the right side to extend the lead to two runs.
• Designated hitter Matt Brinker hit NU's fourth straight two-out single, hitting it to the left side of the infield deep enough leg out another infield single, scoring Maldonado from third for the 3-0 lead.
• The Sycamores answered back in the bottom of the fifth with their first runs of the weekend, both unearned on a two-out triple to center field. The Huskies ended the fifth back at a one-run lead, 3-2.
• Indiana St. tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, after a passed ball and a wild pitch scored the Sycamores' third run.
• Northeastern loaded the bases in the next frame and answered with a dirt ball read of their own, scoring Gregory Bozzo on a wild pitch to retake the lead, 4-3.
• The Sycamores broke through in the eighth with a fielder's choice that send a runner home from third, and a fly out that allowed another runner to tag up to take the 5-4 lead.
• Northeastern tallied two one-out hits in the ninth from Alex Lane and Matt Brinker, but the rally fell short.
• NU starter Jack Bowery got his first action of the year, working four innings of scoreless baseball before Indiana State broke through in the fifth. He finished his start with two unearned runs allowed on two hits and a walk, and left the game with a 3-2 lead. He struck out five batters in his outing.
• Out of the pen, Ryan McCarroll provided another key hold with a scoreless inning, working around two hits while striking out one.
• Cooper McGrath worked the seventh with just one walk and one unearned run allowed, striking out two.

 
 
The Huskies embark on their longest-distance road trip this coming week as they face a four-game series at Hawai'i. First pitch of the weekend is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. HST (11:35 p.m. EST) on Friday, February 28.