BOSTON — Starting pitcher Andrew Basel gave the Huskies five strong innings and Harvard’s pitching staff gifted a struggling Northeastern offense free pass after free pass as the reigning Baseball Beanpot champions advanced to the championship game for the third consecutive year.
On a frigid April afternoon, offensive firepower was at a premium. The two sides combined for just eight hits, with none going for extra bases.
As such, it was fortunate that Basel had his best stuff. After Northeastern’s offense went 1-2-3 in the top of the first, Basel did the same to Harvard in the bottom half, setting down two Crimson via strikeout and maneuvering around a Matt Witkow base hit with a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double play to end the frame.
Northeastern jumped out in front in the second. After Harvard starter Luca Alagheband departed just an inning into his afternoon, the Huskies let reliever Owen Tahnk work himself into trouble. He began his day walking Cooper Tarantino, before hitting AJ Aschettino with a pitch; a Carter Bentley groundout advanced the runners, and Charlie Criscola’s dinky infield single brought Tarantino home. With runners on the corners, Tahnk issued another free pass, this time plunking Chris Walsh to load the bases with just one out.
With a run in the books and all three runners on base in his name, Tahnk departed for the right-hander Davis Kahn. Leadoff hitter Carmelo Musacchia greeted the new guy, slapping a single into left field to score Aschettino and Criscola. Kahn put away the next two, getting Ryan Gerety to fly out to center and Harrison Feinberg to strike out looking, but the damage was done.
Basel nearly gave the lead right back. Two quick singles from Luke Wilson and Gavin Smith put runners on the corners with no outs before Basel rebounded, striking out nine-hitter Ryan Mooney. Shortstop Jack Rickheim drove in Harvard’s first run with a single past the diving Musacchia, but Basel neutralized the threat, getting Witkow to ground out and working around a hit by pitch when he sat Max Lane down on strikes.
Northeastern made it 4-1 in the fourth when outfielder Ryan Gerety walked, stole two bases, and came home on a Feinberg swinging bunt.
That’d be the majority of the action. Basel logged two more strong innings before giving way to Joseph Hauser, who logged two superb innings of his own. Andrew Wertz took the eighth, pitching around two walks in his return from injury, and Matthew Sapienza closed this one out, getting Smith to fly out to right with the tying run in the on-deck circle.
It wasn’t a banner day for Northeastern’s offense, which didn’t log a hit after the fourth inning. However, true to the identity of Mike Glavine-led teams, the Huskies took their walks when they had the chance, pushed the pace on the basepaths, and put enough pressure on Harvard to scratch runs across.
“We weren’t great on offense [today],” Glavine said. “But, we had some timely hits, stole some bases, and did enough.”
Basel was the star of the show. The sophomore turned in his longest outing of the year, notched six strikeouts, and showed the veteran savvy to pitch out of tough spots, all without being spotted too big of a lead. Basel let out a yell after escaping the third inning relatively unscathed, and another one when he stepped off the mound after an inning-ending double play in the fifth.
“Basel started, did a really good job,” Glavine said. “He’s typically a strike thrower, so we like starting him. He gave us a chance to win.”
Beyond the win in the record books, which is always a good thing, Northeastern’s victory earned them a spot in the Beanpot Finals, set to be played on Tuesday against No. 23 Boston College, who took down the Huskies 3-2 March 24. The Huskies beat Harvard for this very trophy a year ago; their defeat of the Crimson on Wednesday sets the stage for a championship showdown with the Eagles.
“It’s exciting to get an opportunity to try to defend the title again,” Glavine remarked. “To try and win three [Beanpots] in a row, and go against the best team in New England so far this year.”
Northeastern returns to action on Friday, when Merrimack comes to town. Amelia Ballingall and Daisy Roberts are on your call, with first pitch set for 2:30 p.m.