WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Facing elimination in the CAA Baseball Championship, the Northeastern Huskies (35-20) erupted for five runs in the eighth inning to stun the sixth-seeded UNCW Seahawks (30-28) by a score of 7-3 on Friday evening at Brooks Field, keeping their title defense alive in the double-elimination tournament.
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Huskies sent 10 batters to the plate in a chaotic inning that featured a tying solo home run from Harrison Feinberg, a go-ahead two-RBI single from Carmelo Musacchia, and two more runs that scored on wild pitches and a throwing error. Andrew Rogovic earned the win in relief with two scoreless innings, while Andrew Wertz slammed the door with a scoreless ninth to preserve the victory. Starter Luc Rising added a career-high 11 strikeouts for a total of 17 strikeouts on the night.
- The Huskies manufactured a pair of runs in the second inning with just one extra-base hit and a defensive miscue. AJ Aschettino singled up the middle to start the frame and Charlie Criscola moved him over on a fielder's choice. Carmelo Musacchia ripped a ground-rule double to left-center to put runners on second and third, and Will Fosberg drove in Criscola with a groundout to first for the 1-0 lead. Musacchia then scored on a balk to make it 2-0.
- Luc Rising was dominant early, striking out 11 UNCW batters across six innings. He worked around a pair of walks but held the Seahawks scoreless through three innings, punching out the side in the second.
- UNCW got on the board in the fourth when a two-out walk and an RBI double to left-center cut the lead to 2-1. A throwing error by Tyler Harmony put runners at second and third with two outs, but Rising struck out the next batter to limit the damage.
- The Seahawks grabbed the lead in the sixth on a two-run homer to left-center, making it 3-2. A single and a pair of sacrifice bunts had set the table before the blast, which came on a 1-2 count off Rising.
- Rogovic entered in the seventh and immediately steadied things, working around a leadoff walk by retiring the next three batters in order, including two strikeouts. He returned in the eighth and stranded two more baserunners with an infield pop-up and a swinging strikeout to keep it a one-run game.
- The Huskies' eighth-inning rally began with Feinberg's solo home run to left-center, a 398-foot blast that tied the game at three. It was his 16th homer of the season and 48th of his career, extending his own program record.
- Following the homer, Matt Brinker doubled down the right field line, and AJ Aschettino drew a walk. A wild pitch moved both runners up, and after an offensive timeout, Criscola worked a 10-pitch walk to load the bases. Musacchia then singled to left-center, scoring Brinker and Aschettino for the 5-3 lead — though Criscola was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play.
- The Seahawks brought in a new pitcher who promptly walked Fosberg and hit Henry DiGiorgio. A wild pitch then allowed Musacchia and Fosberg to score on a throwing error by the catcher, pushing the lead to 7-3.
- Wertz worked the ninth to close it out, striking out two and stranding a runner at third after a deep fly ball to left from Harrison Feinberg retired the side.
- Rising finished with 11 strikeouts in six innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on four hits with two walks. It was his third double-digit strikeout game of the season and tied his career high.
- Feinberg went 2-for-4 with the solo homer and a single, while Musacchia finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs, two runs scored, and a pair of stolen bases. Brinker added a double and scored a run.
- The Huskies drew six walks and were hit by two pitches, working deep into counts all night. Criscola reached base three times via walks despite going hitless at the plate.
- It's the seventh game in the history of the CAA Tournament in which Northeastern or UNCW eliminate each other. Northeastern now has a two-game streak in such games.
Northeastern will continue its run through the elimination bracket on Saturday, May 23rd at Brooks Field. Game time is set for 3 p.m. The Huskies will face the loser of the morning's match up between Campbell and Hofstra on FloCollege.
