LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Robbie O'Connor delivered a much-needed strong start on the mound, and Carmelo Musacchia launched a two-run homer to highlight a three-run sixth inning as the Northeastern Huskies (39-21) defeated Missouri State 5-1 in an elimination game at the NCAA Lawrence Regional on Saturday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark.
O'Connor (10-2) was dominant, working seven innings of one-run ball on 91 pitches and inducing 11 ground-ball outs while scattering six hits and striking out three without issuing a walk. The Huskies collected 10 hits on the afternoon, including five doubles and a home run, and held Missouri State (34-21) to just 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Andrew Rogovic struck out two in a scoreless eighth and Andrew Wertz worked around a single to close it out in the ninth.
- Northeastern struck first in the opening frame. Tyler Harmony drew a leadoff walk and Harrison Feinberg singled to center to put runners at first and second. Matt Brinker then doubled to left field on a full count to score Harmony for the 1-0 lead.
- O'Connor retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced and did not allow a runner past second base through the first six innings. His ground-ball approach was relentless, generating 11Â groundouts against 10Â flyouts across his seven innings of work.
- The Huskies loaded the bases in the fourth on singles from Aschettino and Charlie Criscola and a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by the Missouri State pitcher for an error. But Fosberg struck out looking and DiGiorgio hit into a fielder's choice at home to strand all three runners.
- Northeastern broke the game open in the sixth. Aschettino led off with a double to right-center, and Criscola followed with an RBI double to left-center to make it 2-0. Musacchia then crushed a 403-foot, two-run homer to left field — his fifth of the season — to push the lead to 4-0 and chase the Missouri State starter.
- Missouri State broke up the shutout in the seventh on a pair of doubles, cutting the lead to 4-1. O'Connor induced a groundout to end the inning and keep the Bears from mounting a bigger rally.
- Musacchia tripled down the right field line in the eighth - his second extra-base hit of the game after the sixth-inning homer.
- The Huskies added an insurance run in the ninth. Harmony reached on a fielding error by the first baseman and Feinberg ripped an RBI double to right-center to score Harmony and make it 5-1. It was Feinberg's third hit and second double of the day.
- Rogovic struck out two of the three batters he faced in a scoreless eighth before Wertz worked around an infield single and a balk in the ninth, getting a lineout to first, a flyout to right-center, and a popup to third to close it out.
- O'Connor's 10th win of the season is the most by a Northeastern pitcher this year. He did not walk a batter for just the second time this season and threw 59 of his 91 pitches for strikes.
- Feinberg led the offense with a 3-for-5 day that included two doubles and an RBI. Musacchia went 2-for-3 with a homer, a triple, two RBIs, and a sacrifice bunt. Criscola added two hits with a double and an RBI, and Aschettino went 2-for-4 with a double.
- The win is Northeastern's second in the NCAA Tournament in as many years, after the Huskies defeated Bethune-Cookman in the Tallahassee Regional last season. It is the eighth NCAA Tournament victory in program history, and it's first as the lower seed in the match up since the inception of seeding in 1988.
Northeastern will face the loser of Saturday evening's game between No. 13 Kansas and No. 14 Arkansas in an elimination game on Sunday at noon CT / 1 p.m. ET at Hoglund Ballpark. The game can be seen on ESPN+.
