Boston, MA
‘We wanted to be the team to get it done.’ Northeastern baseball team makes Major League effort against Boston Red Sox
FORT MYERS, Fla. – As much as he enjoyed competing against his hometown Boston Red Sox, Northeastern second baseman Luke Beckstein enjoyed talking with them even more.
For center-fielder Mike Sirota and starting pitcher Aiven Cabral, it was a chance for the All-Americans to show their talents against Major League talent.
And for right-fielder Justin Bosland?
“We never beat them and we wanted to be the team to get it done,” Bosland said.
Once again, that didn’t happen. For the 20th straight time, the Red Sox beat the Huskies 7-2.
The Huskies had their chances on Friday at Jet Blue Park. They had just three hits but with four walks and two Boston errors, the Huskies had baserunners throughout the game. They loaded the bases in the fifth.
A total of 5,971 fans attended. That included Northeastern President Joseph E. Aoun, who spoke to alumni before the game.
“He always enjoys coming to this,” Northeastern coach Mike Glavine said. “I thanked the alums for their support. I recapped the season and asked them to follow our team all year long.”
Last season, the Huskies went 44-16 after losing to Boston 5-3 and earned an NCAA Tournament bid in a season that included sweeps over super regional team Indiana State and wins over NCAA entrants Duke, Connecticut, Boston College and North Carolina-Wilmington.
Sirota, who earned a variety of all-region and All-American honors after hitting .344 with 18 homers, is ranked as the No. 11 prospect by Major League Baseball.
Cabral, who had a 2.26 earned run average with 68 strikeouts to 12 walks, earned a number of freshman awards.
This year?
“This team is really focused on a conference championship,” Glavine said.
After going 1-2 at Arizona, Glavine felt his team came into Friday’s game looser than last year when it spotted the Red Sox a 5-0 lead in the first before rallying.
“Last year was more surreal,” Sirota said. “This year it was more about being competitive and beating these guys. Our whole team expects to go out and win. This team will be better.”
Sirota set the table when he walked in the top of the first inning and stole second easily.
“I knew once I walked I had already made up my mind to steal,” he said. “I was going to go on the first pitch but I missed it so I went on the second.”
He then scored on left-fielder Alex Lane’s RBI single to left.
Cabral went two innings. He gave up one run while spacing out three hits. He redeemed himself after struggling last weekend.
“I was definitely excited to pitch the game against the Red Sox,” Cabral said. “I treated it like any game. I had a pre-game routine of breathing and relaxing because it can get nerve wracking. I threw fastballs and sliders as well as curves, which didn’t get called strikes but looked good.”
The sophomore said it didn’t hit him who he pitched against until he left the game.
“When I watched the other guys go through the same thing, I realized I was facing some dudes,” Cabral said.
Beckstein found the Red Sox to be cool dudes as he talked to them during the game.
“I said, ‘Hey man, I hope you’ll be successful because it only helps me, being I’m a Red Sox fan,’” Beckstein said. “They said, ‘That’s cool, we appreciate it.’ It was an awesome experience and good energy.
“I’m from Tyngsborough, Mass., I watched Dustin Pedroia, Big Papi growing up. It’s cool to be in the same ballpark playing the Red Sox with their guys who are going to be really good in the coming years.”
Beckstein also showed his fielding ability in the third when he was part of a relay with Sirota, who nailed a Red Sox runner at third before he also was the relay man on a 6-4-3 double play.
Right-fielder Justin Borland almost matched Beckstein’s efforts but he just missed Mark Contreras’ line drive that went over the right-field fence for a three-run homer in the third. Boston led 4-1.
After the Red Sox pushed the lead to 5-1, Northeastern threatened to make it close in the fifth. Bosland doubled, then scored when Jack Goodman reached second on an error. Goodman was thrown out trying to steal third but the Huskies loaded the bases. However, a strikeout ended the inning.
“I would say when we watched them in batting practice, we were in awe at how far they hit the ball and then walked around,” Bosland said. “But after the first pitch, we treated them like anybody.”
Glavine said while the defense – two errors and a fly ball dropped due to the sun – could’ve been better, he liked the way his team competed.
“The strike zone is tighter and the ballpark is larger so it takes our guys out of their comfort zone, which is good,” Glavine said. “I thought we had some good, tough at-bats and a couple of chances to score. I also liked the atmosphere. We were loose and having fun with it.”
One of the Huskies’ highlights was seeing pitcher Wyatt Scotti – who doesn’t hit much – go to opposite field to left for a hit. His teammates, standing in the dugout, roared their delight.
Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals
Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals LIVE GAME: Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals look to seize control of thrilling Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals. Every team in the Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals has two wins apiece as we go into the final two game weeks. Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals will host Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals at Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals Park Stadium with the Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals a single point ahead of Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals in the standings and just one behind leaders Boston Legacy FC vs Utah Royals.
Gray, acquired in a November trade from the St. Louis Cardinals, was one of Boston’s key rotation additions, along with Ranger Suarez, in the offseason. He was 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 2025.
“He’s very specific about his work. Every day has a purpose,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Gray. “Two hundred strikeouts, that’s something that we were looking for. The competitor. Every five days, this guy is going to give you everything.”
In his five career appearances against the Reds, Gray is 1-3 with a 4.18 ERA.
“It’s pretty much one of the only things that is continuing to push me, is to get to a World Series, to win a World Series, to pitch in big games,” said Gray. “I love the moment, and I am chasing that moment.”
Here’s the preview:
RED SOX (1-0): TBA
Pitching: RHP Sonny Gray
REDS (0-1): TBA
Pitching: RHP Brady Singer
Time: 4:10 p.m.
TV, radio: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
Red Sox vs. Singer: Wilyer Abreu 2-5, Roman Anthony 1-2, Willson Contreras 2-7, Jarren Duran 3-10, Caleb Durbin 0-1, Isiah Kiner-Falefa 6-16, Marcelo Mayer 0-1, Andruw Monasterio 1-4, Carlos Narváez 1-1, Ceddanne Rafaela 1-5, Trevor Story 0-4, Connor Wong 2-8, Masataka Yoshida 2-7
Reds vs. Gray: Will Benson 0-5, Elly De La Cruz 5-11, TJ Friedl 1-8, Ke’Bryan Hayes 4-17, Nathaniel Lowe 2-10, Noelvi Marte 0-5, Matt McLain 2-2, Spencer Steer 4-9, Tyler Stephenson 0-8, Eugenio Suárez 7-13, Jose Trevino 0-2
Stat of the day: Sal Stewart become the first Cincinnati rookie since 1958 to record three hits on Opening Day.
Notes: Cincinnati sends righthander Brady Singer (14-12, 4.03 in 2025) to the mound … With Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo already on the injured list to start the season, Singer is considered one of Cincinnati’s most durable pitchers, leading the Reds with 32 starts last season … Singer has made five career starts against Boston, posting a 2-2 record with a 4.88 ERA over 24 innings … His last appearance against the Red Sox, on July 1 in Boston, ended after just three innings when he allowed two earned runs on three hits.
Cam Kerry can be reached at cam.kerry@globe.com.
Nearly three months since assuming office as mayor of Everett, Massachusetts, Mayor Robert Van Campen isn’t wasting any time.
The former city councilor ousted 18-year incumbent Carlo DeMaria in decisive fashion last November, but even so, issues surrounding his predecessor still linger at City Hall.
A state-led salary audit of DeMaria found $180,000 in overpayment, a finding the former mayor disputes. Van Campen says the city is monitoring ongoing investigations.
“What I’ve conveyed to my partners in government here, locally, is to allow that state process to play itself out, and then we, as a community, will make a decision,” the mayor said. “In addition to that, I recently met with Inspector General Jeff Shapiro, who visited me at City Hall. We had a great conversation about transparency in government, best practices, putting in the right systems to ensure that that type of financial oversight doesn’t happen in the future.”
Beyond the audit, Van Campen is placing emphasis on school overcrowding.
“My objective is to try to implement solutions as quickly as I can,” he said. “Our high school today, which was built for I think 1,650 students, now houses around 2,200.”
The World Cup is creating buzz across Massachusetts, including in Everett, where the Kraft Group is looking to build a soccer stadium.
To alleviate that problem, the mayor is using federal ARPA funds to repair the old Everett High School and seeking out other spaces that could be used in the future.
“Would I like to build out new classroom space for the students of Everett in the next one to two years? Yes, that’s my ideal,” Van Campen said. “But I want to make sure that if we do it on a quick timeline, it’s done in a correct and proper fashion.”
Also in focus for the mayor is a new soccer stadium for the New England Revolution on the shores of the Mystic River.
The Kraft Group, Boston, Everett and the state Legislature have all taken steps to make the project a reality, but Van Campen says there’s still more work to do.
“It’s a transformative project, it’s a breathtaking project,” said Van Campen. “But I’ve been clear with all the stakeholders around that project, and the other larger developments going on down there, that we have to make sure that transit issues are comprehensively addressed, that pedestrian access issues are comprehensively addressed, that all those issues have to be addressed to perfection in order for these projects to succeed.”
Tune in on Sunday, March 29 at 9:30 a.m. for our extended @Issue Sit Down with Van Campen.
Corn tortillas in California now must contain folic acid. More states are looking at it
![++[LIVESTREAMS]TV!! New Mexico United vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Live 𝖲𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗆](https://i2.wp.com/res.cloudinary.com/pgatour-prod/w_854,h_480,c_fill,f_auto,q_auto/pgatour/pages/pga-tour-live/live-header-tl.png?w=80&resize=80,80&ssl=1 "++[LIVESTREAMS]TV!! New Mexico United vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Live 𝖲𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗆")
++[LIVESTREAMS]TV!! New Mexico United vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Live 𝖲𝗍𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗆
Two arrested after armed robbery in Wethersfield Saturday night
Firefighters battle two-alarm commercial building fire in Delaware County
Man killed in Florida train crash railroad crossing in Indian River
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
JD Vance says he was ‘obsessed’ with UFOs, believes aliens are actually ‘demons’
The EU's recipe for trade deals : easy on beef, tough on wine
Photos: ‘No Kings’ protests across the country
Jeffries declines to break with indicted Democrat after ethics panel’s guilty verdict
Hundreds of thousands march through London in stand against the far right
-
Sports1 week agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
New Mexico7 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Tennessee6 days agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson
-
Technology7 days agoYouTube job scam text: How to spot it fast
-
Minneapolis, MN3 days agoBoy who shielded classmate during school shooting receives Medal of Honor
-
Science1 week agoRecord Heat Meets a Major Snow Drought Across the West
-
Politics1 week agoSchumer gambit fails as DHS shutdown hits 36 days and airport lines grow
-
Politics1 week agoTrump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants