After Elon University hit three home runs to defeat Northeastern University on Friday at Latham Park, Northeastern gave Elon a taste of its own medicine today by hitting three home runs en route to a 7-5 victory.

“Yesterday, the long ball helped us out,” Elon head coach Mike Kennedy said. “Today, it helped them out. They got a couple of balls up in the air that typically won’t go out, but the wind was pushing out and gave them a lift.”

Elon got the first run of the game in the second inning when senior Chris King hit a double off of Huskie starter sophomore Dustin Hunt and scored later in the inning on a sacrifice fly from senior Andy Moore.

Elon junior starter Michael Elefante did not give up a hit until senior No. 2 hitter Joey Scambia singled up the middle. On the next pitch, Pat Madigan crushed a two-run homer to center field to give Northeastern a 2-1 lead.

In the fifth, the Huskies had runners reach base on a throwing error and a walk. With two outs, redshirt junior Rob Fonseca squeaked a 3 RBI homer just over the left field.

Elon responded in the bottom half of the frame as four of the first five batters singled in the inning. Sophomore Nick Zammarelli and senior Casey Jones narrowed the deficit with RBI singles.

With runners on first and second, one out and Cooper and King due up, Elon appeared on the verge of typing the ballgame. But Cooper flew out and King grounded into a fielder’s choice to strand the two runners.

In the sixth inning, the Phoenix tied the game at five . With Zammarelli at the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, he got an infield single and advanced Lynch to home on a throwing error.

With a chance to take the lead, Cooper grounded out to end the inning. For the remainder of the game though, Elon could not get another runner in scoring position.

Northeastern took the lead in the eighth when Fonseca doubled to left field off of sophomore reliever Chris Hall. After a sacrifice bunt and single, Fonseca scored.

The Huskies added an insurance run in the ninth to take a 7-5 lead after freshman Maxwell Burt hit his first collegiate home run to left field off junior reliever Joe McGillicuddy.

Reliever sophomore Aaron Civale was the winning pitcher for Northwestern. He pitched 3.1 innings, allowed two hits, no walks and four strikeouts.

Elon dropped to 13-16 overall and 5-3 in the Colonial Athletic Association while Northeastern improved to 11-17 (4-4 CAA). The rubber match of the three game series will be Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

Postgame Reactions:

Elon head coach Mike Kennedy