JOHNSTOWN — After scoring 10 runs in each of its first two games of the National Club Baseball Association Division II World Series, Northeastern used a little small ball to wake up its bats on Monday.

Nathan Hodor – the Huskies’ cleanup-hitting catcher – keyed a four-run outburst with a surprising bunt single and Hayato Nishi pitched 52/3 innings as Northeastern beat Rice 6-3 on Monday at Point Stadium.

The Huskies, who are the tournament’s only unbeaten team, will face Penn State in the championship game at 7 tonight.

Northeastern led 2-1 in the fifth when Hodor came up in a prime RBI situation – runners at first and second with none out – but coach Brian Rizzo called for a bunt, and the big catcher responded with a perfectly placed bunt down the third-base line.

“I called for that one,” Rizzo said. “There’s a reason everyone on the team practices the bunt.”

Even if guys like Hodor don’t normally get called on to do it in a game.

“That was his first in five years,” Rizzo said of the bunt.

Michael Librett followed with a two-run single, Jeremy Gordon delivered a sacrifice fly and Max Sterenson’s infield single gave Northeastern another run in the big inning.

“(Monday) was an off day for our offense, only scoring six,” Rizzo said with a smile. “I hope that continues – that we score six on an ‘off day.’ ”

After giving up an unearned run in the second, Nishi kept Rice off the board until the Owls got two unearned runs in the sixth.

Matthew Chase struck out Alexander Schwent to end the sixth and pitched a scoreless seventh for the save.

Nishi’s strong outing, plus the fact that Northeastern played only three games compared with Penn State’s four, gives Rizzo confidence in his pitching depth for the championship game.

“That was pretty big with us,” Rizzo said. “Hayato is a freshman. He came up big and was able to get into the later innings, and we turned it over to our closer, Matt Chase.”

Rizzo said that Matthew Conroy is his likely starter tonight.

Henry Spitzer had two hits for Northeastern, as did Hodor, Gordon and Sterenson.

Chris Brown and Fred Carbone each had two hits for Rice, which went 2-2 in the tournament’s first year in Johnstown.

“It’s been a great tournament,” Rice coach Joe Cialone said. “I’ve had a blast. It’s tough to be done, but I think we’re going to enjoy the rest of our stay in Johnstown.”

Penn State 12, SIU-Carbondale 1: Penn State showed its depth, both in pitching and hitting, in the afternoon game at the Point.

Peter Racioppo threw a three-hitter and the bottom of Penn State’s order drove in eight runs to avenge an earlier loss to SIU-Carbondale. More importantly, the Lions earned a spot in the championship game.

SIU-Carbondale took a 1-0 lead in the first, but Penn State responded quickly.

“The second inning was a big inning for us,” Penn State coach Joe Vehec said. “We came right back at them and scored.”

Penn State scored five runs in the third to break open the game.

The Lions drew 10 walks, but Vehec said that wasn’t the only benefit of patience at the plate.

“We also hit in hitters’ counts,” he said. “We weren’t so much first-ball swinging, like we have a tendency to do. That was part of our strategy, knowing that they were low on pitching.”

Eight different Nittany Lions had hits, with Frank DiRoma collecting three. Patrick Lucas added two. Pete Ross, Alex Gojkovich, DiRoma and Kevin Bednarzyk – the Nittany Lions 5, 6, 7 and 9 hitters, respectively – each drove in two runs.

“More so than last year, we have depth in our lineup,” Vehec said. “We have depth all around. They come through. The top of the order produces a lot, and those guys aren’t afraid to drive in runs. I think that’s key to our lineup, that we can score up and down.”

A deep pitching staff could also be a benefit, as Vehec has plenty of options for tonight’s championship game.

“We look pretty good,” he said. “Two of our best pitchers that pitched games 1 and 2 (Kevin Obermeier and Gerard Vath) told me they are ready to go. But we don’t know if it will be one of them. We have a fifth starter (Carl Motts) that has a very live arm.”

SIU-Carbondale went 3-2 in the tournament, with both losses coming to Penn State.

“Most of our guys are freshmen and sophomores, so coming so close to a national championship will bring most of these guys back, striving for more and better things,” Salukis coach Edwin Palacios said.

SIU-Carbondale 5, Penn State 2: A day after getting blasted by Penn State, the SIU-Carbondale turned the tables on the Nittany Lions in the morning game.

Kyle Stemmons and Brian Judge combined to limit Penn State to three hits.

“Our starting pitcher, Stemmons, pitched 111 pitches on two days rest,” Palacios said. “He had a strong outing and then Judge came and closed the door on them.”

The Salukis scored all five of their runs in the third inning.

Eric White had a two-run double and Richie Serritella added an RBI double. Penn State, which didn’t commit an error in its first two games, had a costly one in the inning, and starting pitcher Robert Mroskey threw two run-scoring wild pitches.

SIU-Carbondale leadoff hitter Shayne Peterson went 3-for-3 with a walk while Serritella and Brian Serrano each had two hits.

“Once again, the top of the order – Rich Serritella, Shayne Peterson – got us started,” Palacios said. “It kept going. Everyone, from top to bottom, kept doing their job.”

Penn State scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings despite not getting a hit in either inning.

“We got some guys on base early and just couldn’t capitalize, get them in,” Vehec said. “We hit into a few double plays and got rattled out there.”

Tonight’s game



What: Northeastern vs. Penn State in the championship game of the NCBA Division II World Series.



Where: Point Stadium, Johnstown.



When: 7 p.m.