BROOKLINE — In weather far less than optimal for baseball, Northeastern rallied to defeat the Elon University Phoenix 17-7 in a lengthy eight innings. Led by Carmelo Musacchia and Ryan Gerety, the Huskies’ bats put on a show dominating in almost every offensive category. Both athletes went 3-for-5 on the afternoon with Musacchia ending his day a triple shy of the cycle.
The Huskies collectively went 14-for-36 in the matchup and slammed an impressive nine extra base hits. They also floated around .400 in important situations including having runners in scoring position and batting with two outs, which they’ve struggled with in the early parts of this season.
On the other side of the game however, Northeastern pitching left much to be desired. Ryan Griffin, the usual lockdown starter, struggled with keeping counts in his favor. AHe fell into three ball counts unusually quickly, allowing four walks across four innings of work.
Elon capitalized on these challenges early when Griffin issued his first walk in the top of the first, advancing Phoenix senior Jackson Alford into scoring position. A fielder’s choice then moved Alford to third, and a subsequent fly ball allowed him to score, Elon taking a 1-0 lead.
The Huskies responded immediately by creating and scoring a run in just their first two at-bats in the bottom of the frame. Ryan Gerety singled to start things off, and Harrison Feinberg followed that up with a double to score Gerety from first. The Huskies kept the gritty scoring going with two outs in the second inning with Chris Walsh lining a double into left field to pick up an RBI and Ryan Gerety tallying his second hit of the day to drive in Walsh.
With the Huskies leading 3-1, they bounced the Phoenix opener Tommy Mitchell in the third inning, although Northeastern’s offensive efforts would be stifled by the new arm Cole Hansen. Hansen, the long reliever for Elon, looked to be having a decent outing, with two outs and two on in the bottom of the fourth and the next pitch popped up to left field.
However, what should have been the second consecutive scoreless inning for the Phoenix turned into a Huskies hit parade when the wind got the best of this pop-up and Brian DuRoff misread the fly in left field. It touched down for a two-RBI double for Matt Brinker,, and the Huskies’ inning would continue.
Musacchia rocketed a line drive homer over the left field wall for his first hit of the day, notching another two runs for the Huskies. And still there was more. Cooper Tarantino roped a double down the third base line, and a Carter Bentley triple would run him in along with Anthony Ruggiero, who earned a walk in between. From third base, Bentley scored the final run of the frame for the Huskies when another error allowed AJ Aschettino to reach safely.
The Huskies’ numerous runs in the fourth blew the game wide open to a 10-1 lead, but Elon refused to go down quietly. In the top of the fifth, the Phoenix began to claw their way back into the contest. Brian DuRoff lined a single through the left side to bring home Gavin Bogdanchik, and moments later Kevin Denty split the gap in right center for a two-RBI triple, trimming the Northeastern lead to six and injecting life into the Elon dugout.
Northeastern answered yet again. In the bottom half of the fifth, Feinberg continued his strong day at the plate, lacing a double to center to score Gerety. Tarantino followed with a triple this time down the third base line, driving in two more and restoring a comfortable cushion for the Huskies, standing at a score of 13-4.
The game took another chaotic turn in the sixth inning. What looked like a routine defensive sequence unraveled for Northeastern, as an error allowed Tarantino to again reach and opened the floodgates for the Huskies. Three unearned runs crossed the plate in the inning, with Feinberg, Brinker, and Musacchia all scoring without the benefit of a hit.
Elon’s offense had to keep it going in the seventh facing a mercy-rule ending. After Northeastern reliever Nick Coniglio loaded the bases and collected no outs in his afternoon, Joseph Hauser took his place in a rough spot and was unable to limit damage. Lawson Wheeler started the Phoenix rally with an RBI single to right, scoring Gar Hindle. Jared Hall followed with another run-scoring knock, and Jake Hajdu capped the inning with a single up the middle to bring home Charlie Evans. In a matter of minutes, the Phoenix had extended the game, down 16-7.
Musacchia wasn’t done adding to his standout performance and would deliver the knockout blow in the eighth inning. He roped a double to center field, driving in Feinberg for his third hit of the day and allowing the run-rule to come into effect serving with a walk-off hit.
Despite the 17-7 final, the game told two very different stories for the Huskies. Offensively, this was one of the most complete showings of the young season showcasing power, situational hitting, and depth throughout the lineup. Nearly every hitter contributed, and the ability to capitalize on mistakes proved decisive.
On the other hand, the pitching and lackluster inconsistencies remain a concern. Walks, hitter-friendly counts, and costly errors kept Elon within striking distance far longer than necessary given the caliber of these teams. Against stronger competition, those same issues could prove and have already proved far more damaging for the Huskies.
For now, though, Northeastern will take the result: a dominant offensive performance, another conference win, and a glimpse of the lineup’s full potential.
Northeastern Huskies baseball will return on Wednesday, March 25, when they will take on the River Hawks of UMass Lowell on the road. The Huskies will look to continue this offensive production and shape up their defensive mishaps for this upcoming midweek matchup.
Michael Kaminsky is a sophomore at Northeastern in his first year with WRBB. He is thrilled to be a part of the broadcast team and is eager to continue covering his favorite sport as the baseball season progresses. You can read more of his coverage with WRBB here.