The Northeastern Huskies baseball team lost their third consecutive game to start the 2026 season, falling to the Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 21-13 at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona. This matchup concluded the MLB Desert Invitational for both teams.
Northeastern’s offense produced 13 runs on 13 hits, including a six-run sixth inning. However, the pitching staff struggled throughout the game. Nine Huskies pitchers combined to issue eight walks, hit seven batters, and throw 11 wild pitches. Senior Carmelo Musacchia led Northeastern’s offense with four hits, three doubles, and an RBI. Redshirt senior Harrison Feinberg drove in four runs.
The Huskies took an early lead in the first inning after Musacchia doubled and Ryan Gerety walked; both executed a double steal before Feinberg singled home the first run. Carter Bentley followed with an RBI single. Eric Cha then delivered a two-RBI single that ended Iowa’s starting pitcher’s outing before recording an out.
Musacchia scored again in the second inning on a sacrifice fly from Feinberg to extend Northeastern’s lead to 5-0. Iowa responded with one run in the bottom of the second and erupted for eight runs in the third inning, taking advantage of six hits, a hit-by-pitch, and a throwing error by Northeastern.
Will Fosberg hit his first home run of the season for Northeastern in the top of the third inning. The Hawkeyes increased their lead with six more runs in the fourth inning.
Northeastern mounted a rally in the sixth inning when Henry DiGiorgio drew a pinch-hit walk and Charlie Criscola singled to start things off. Musacchia added an RBI single before Gerety walked with bases loaded and Feinberg contributed another RBI single. Bentley also drew an RBI walk and Cha was hit by a pitch to force in another run. Cooper Tarantino capped off the rally with a two-RBI single.
Iowa added three more runs without recording a hit in their half of the sixth due to wild pitches and walks from Northeastern pitchers.
Musacchia finished his day with his third double of the game during the seventh inning and later scored on Feinberg’s groundout for Northeastern’s final run.
Angel Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth inning for Northeastern while Frese retired all three batters he faced in order during the ninth.
Musacchia now has five extra-base hits through three games this season and has reached base safely each time he has played so far. He also recorded his fourth stolen base this year.
Northeastern will travel next weekend to Fort Myers for a scrimmage against the Boston Red Sox on Friday, February 20th before playing Minnesota at a neutral site over that weekend.
