Feb. 27, 2011
Box Score
For the third straight day, the River Hawk softball team split with its opponents in the Triton Invitational hosted by Eckerd College. In the final day of the tournament, the River Hawks defeated Lynn University by a score of 9-1 before falling to University of Tampa 9-0.
UMass Lowell leaves Florida with a 3-3 record to start the 2011 season and will return to action on March 13, back in the Sunshine State. They will kick off a 12-game trip against Philadelphia at 9:30 a.m.
In the first game of the morning, the River Hawks downed Lynn (3-13), 9-2, behind an explosive third inning and an equally successful fourth. After Lynn got on the board in the first with one run, UMass Lowell held them scoreless through the rest of the game. The River Hawks crossed the plate five times in the third and four times in the second, holding on for the 9-1 win in five innings.
Junior Elyssa Boris (Gardner, Mass.) pitched the complete game, allowing three hits and just one run through five innings.
Centerfielder Ashley Daniels (Medford, Mass.), shortstop Meagan Guy (Berlin, Conn.) and first baseman Heather Ross (Waltham, Mass.) each went 2-3 in the game, combining for two RBI and five runs scored.
The River Hawks were able to generate plenty of offense in the third, beginning with a bunt single by Guy, before she advanced to second on the throw. Freshman second baseman Ali Ferraro (Kingston, N.Y.) reached on a fielder's choice and also advanced to second on a throw that allowed Guy to score. Ross brought Ferraro home on a double to left field.
Sophomore Bri Mahoney (Billerica, Mass.) stepped up to single to center and once again advance to second on the throw. Ross continued on to third and came home on a single to center by Boris. Mahoney went on to score on an error by the catcher and pinch runner Katie Enaire (Amesbury, Mass.) came home on a Caelyn Ford (Dracut, Mass.) single.
Following the five-run third inning, Daniels led off with a single up the middle, followed by a pair of stolen bases to advance to third. Guy batted second in the inning, singling through the left side to bring Daniels home. Guy followed suit, stealing a base and advancing to third on an error, helping Ferraro bunt to bring her home on a fielder's choice.
Ross went on to single to right and advanced to second on the throw, which allowed Ferraro to advance to third. Mahoney hit a sacrifice fly to bring home Ferraro before Ross stole third. She came home after an error from the catcher before the inning came to a close.
By game's end, the River Hawks had converted nine hits into nine runs, committing one error, while Lynn tallied one run on three hits and made four miscues.
In their final game of the tournament, UMass Lowell fell to Tampa team that has gone 11-1 through its first 12 contests of the year, 9-0, in five innings. Tampa steadily created offense through each of the first four innings, including three-run second and fourth innings, while UMass Lowell struggled to get on the board.
Rachel Schafler (Floral Park, N.Y.) picked up the loss after 2.2 innings pitched. She allowed four runs on four hits and struck out two before being relieved by Boris, who let up five runs, six hits and a pair of walks in the game.
UMass Lowell tallied just three hits in the game, while Tampa collected 10 runs. Daniels, Ford and freshman Melissa Effertz (Oceanside, Calif.) notched the lone hits of the game.
