BROOKLINE MASS. – In a series crucial to the CAA standings, it was VCU who struck the first blow.
The Rams used a complete game effort from senior Ian Thomas (4-2, 4.39) and took advantage of some miscues in the field by Northeastern to down the Huskies 7-2 Friday afternoon at Friedman Diamond.
NU committed five errors in the game, which led to five unearned runs.
“We played sloppy baseball, and it cost us the game,” Northeastern head coach Neil McPhee said. “The pitching was fine and we hit the ball well enough to score more runs, but we didn’t get any breaks. Clearly the defense let us down, its the first time we played really bad defense for a while.”
The Huskies jumped on the board first in the second when senior Frank Pesanello blasted his seventh home run of the season. The solo shot was the co-captain’s 36th career home run at Northeastern, which is one shy from tying the all-time school record of 37 set by Tim Daley in 1998.
The Rams tied the game in the top of the third on junior Andrew Dimino’s RBI single to left off Ryan Quigley. They took the lead for good with a run in the sixth off the junior, who threw a strong 6 and 2/3 innings, allowing only four hits and two walks, while striking out seven and allowing three runs (two earned.)
The Huskies threatened in both the seventh and and eighth innings, but both times Thomas induced double plays to end the threat, although the Huskies did add a run in the eighth when junior Frank Compagnone grounded into a double play.
Thomas allowed eight hits and just one earned in his first complete game of the season.
“[Thomas] was tough, he’s a good tough pitcher,” McPhee said. “He’s done well in this conference and he knows how to pitch with men on base.”
With the loss, Northeastern (20-15, 6-7) dropped to eighth in the conference, while VCU (19-15, 7-6) vaulted into sixth. The two teams are back in action today. Senior co-captain Jeff Thomson (5-3, 4.66) will face junior Robbie Andrews (1-1, 3.49)
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