BROOKLINE, Mass. – Two late rallies in the Towson University baseball team's double header fell short against Northeastern at Friedman Diamond in Brookline, Massachusetts in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play. Game one's final was 6-5 with two runners left aboard for the Tigers. In game two, Towson pulled it to within one in the eighth inning before three insurance runs for the Huskies in the bottom frame for a 12-8 final.
 
In game one, Northeastern (33-7, 14-5 CAA) posted three runs in the bottom of the first, scoring one on a fly out transfer error before plating two more on a two-run home run to left. In the second, a sacrifice bunt with runners on the corners made it a 4-0 game in favor of the Huskies. Towson (13-30, 3-16 CAA) got on the board in the fifth on a Reyce Curnane single through the right side. Bryce Frederick followed with a three-run home run to tie the game at four apiece. Back-to-back hits in the seventh, the latter a two-run homer, made it a 6-4 Northeastern lead. After a single and walk put runners on first and second in the ninth, Bryce Frederick knocked a single to make it a 6-5 game. Elijah Dickerson came to the plate with two outs and runners on the corners, grounding into the Northeastern shift in shallow right field to end the game with two runners stranded.
 
In game two, Northeastern (34-7, 15-5 CAA) got out to an early lead with four runs on five hits in the bottom of the first. In the second, Mike Sirota homered to right center to extend the Husky lead to six. Towson (13-31, 3-17 CAA) got on the board with an RBI ground out to first with runners on second and third. In the home half, Northeastern got one back on a single through the left side to make it 7-1. With a runner on in the seventh, Brian Heckelman hit a home run to left to pull the Tigers within four. In the bottom half with the bases loaded, a HBP and ground out to first scored two more to push the lead back to six. The Tigers' eighth inning rally started with Bryce Frederick's home run. A fielder's choice with runners on the corners scored another before Jordan Peyton's three-run homer to left field pulled the Tigers to within one. Sirota's second home run of the game in the bottom frame pushed the lead back to three before a final run later in the inning. After back-to-back hits to start the ninth, a double play and second ground out ended the game at 12-4.
 
Key Stats (Game One):

• Bryce Frederick led the charge at the plate with a 2-for-5 performance with four RBI and a home run. Reyce Curnane batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored in game one.
• Max Simpson (1-2) took the loss with two earned runs allowed on three hits in four relief innings, adding three strikeouts. He retired his first eight batters faced before back-to-back hits gave the Huskies a two-run lead in the seventh.
• Patrick Harrington (4-0) recorded the win, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings with two hits allowed and two strikeouts. Griffin Young (7) picked up the save with one earned run allowed on two hits in 2.0 innings of work. He finished with three strikeouts. Center fielder Mike Sirota hit the go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh on a 1-for-4 day.

 
How it Happened (Game One):

• With runners on first and second in the bottom of the first, James Moses lost the ball on the transfer of a fly out to allow the first run of the game to score. Cam Maldonado followed that with a two-run homer to left to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead.
• With runners on the corners in the second, Luke Beckstein's sacrifice bunt got another run home for Northeastern.
• After a walk and double put runners on the corner in the fifth, Reyce Curnane hit a single through the right side to send home the Tigers' first run of the game. Bryce Frederick followed that with a three-run home run to left to tie the game up at four. Wagner's single to follow knocked Aiven Cabral out of the game after allowing five straight batters to reach safely.
• Max Simpson relieved Justin Rebok to start the fifth inning and retired his first eight batters faced. Following that stretch, the Huskies got back-to-back hits on a single and home run to bring the score to 6-4.
• In the ninth, Moses led off the inning with a single. Bishop walked to follow, putting two runners on. Two batters later, Frederick singled to score Moses and bring the Tigers within one. On a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the ninth with runners on the corners, Elijah Dickerson grounded into the Husky shift on the right side of the infield to thwart the late rally and end the game.

 
Key Stats (Game Two):

• Second baseman Jordan Peyton was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a home run in the game. Brian Heckelman finished 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and a home run.
• Brett Seils (2-6) registered the loss with four earned runs allowed on five hits in 0.1 innings pitched. Bobby Spencer tossed 4.0 relief innings with one earned run allowed on three hits while notching four strikeouts and a walk.
• Northeastern starter Eric Yost (5-0) recorded the win with three earned runs allowed on eight hits in 6.1 innings pitched. He registered two strikeouts and a walk in the game. Center fielder Mike Sirota was 3-for-5 with four RBI and two home runs.

 
How it Happened (Game Two)

• Northeastern posted four runs on five hits in the first inning of game two. Two singles and a balk to lead off the inning put runners on second and third before a double scored both runs. Later in the inning with runners in the same spots, a ground out to the pitcher scored the third of the inning. Alex Lane's double to left center to follow made it a 4-0 game.
• The Huskies made it a 6-0 game on Mike Sirota's home run to right center in the second inning.
• In the top of the third, back-to-back singles and a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third. This allowed a run to score on Curnane's ground out to first to make it a 6-1 game.
• In the bottom frame, a walk and single put runners on before a passed ball moved them to second and third. Beckstein's single through the left side plated a run to make it a 7-1 game.
• Elijah Dickerson led off the seventh with a single up the middle and was knocked home two batters later, courtesy of Brian Heckelman's home run to left field to pull the Tigers within four.
• A walk and two singles in the bottom frame loaded the bases before a hit batter and ground out to first base each plated a run for NU, making it a 9-4 game.
• Bryce Frederick's lead-off home run in the eighth started a five-run inning for the Tigers. Wagner got to third on a single with heads-up base-running and Dickerson's HBP to follow put runners on the corners. John Cristino reached on a fielder's choice, plating another run for TU. After Heckelman's single, Jordan Peyton hit a three-run home run to left field to pull the Tigers to within one.
• After a walk to start the bottom half, Nate Nabholz entered the game. NU's Sirota hit a two-run home run to left field to push the lead back to three. Later in the inning, a single with a runner on second brought the score to 12-8.
• The Tigers started the ninth with back-to-back hits but were cut short two batters for a 12-8 final.

 
On Deck:
The Tigers and Huskies will conclude the three-game CAA series tomorrow at Friedman Diamond at 1 p.m.