March 26, 2011
Box Score from Game One
Box Score from Game Two
Photo Gallery
UMass Lowell baseball showcased its versatility on Saturday, sweeping a double-header with New Haven, 5-1 and 7-5, in two different ways. Pitching stole the show early, while hitting earned the win late.
The victories improve the River Hawks' record to 17-2 overall and a perfect 4-0 in Northeast-10 play. The Chargers fall to 10-7 with the loss and 2-2 in conference play.
Pitcher Jack Leathersich (Beverly, Mass.) stymied the New Haven offense in a 5-1 win during game one, allowing just two hits.
With the game locked in a pitcher's duel over the first few frames, UMass Lowell gained an edge in the third inning with some two-out magic. Matt Jacobs (Hudson, Mass.) singled up the middle and Sean Burns (Colchester, Vt.) drew a walk. Standout shortstop Cam Kneeland (Rowley, Mass.) delivered with a two-run double down the left field line to take the game's first lead.
The River Hawks picked another run with two-outs in the fourth. With runners on first and second, Connor Burnham (Harwich, Mass.) floated a single into center field that allowed Mark Sanborn (Hopkinton, Mass.) to slide into home.
UMass Lowell extended its lead to 5-0 in the fifth. Rob Noe (Lynnfield, Mass.) ripped a single into left field that plated Kneeland, followed by an RBI double to the left-center gap by Dylan Flynn (Upton, Mass.).
The Chargers snapped Leathersich's bid for a no-hitter in the seventh as Ryan Brockett (Guilford, Conn.) smacked a one-out triple over the right fielder's head. Brockett came home on the next at bat, a RBI ground out by Shane O'Connell (Cranston, R.I.), to cut the score to 5-1.
Leathersich tossed his first complete game victory of the season, improving to 3-1 overall. The hard throwing lefty fanned 10 batters, while letting up two hits, one run and one walk. Leathersich moves into 10th all-time at UMass Lowell with 166 career strikeouts.
In the late game, UMass Lowell grinded out the offense. In the bottom of the first, the club took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Kneeland.
The Chargers reversed the fate in the fourth inning, scoring two runs in messy fashion. The first run came home when Buckley was hit by the pitch with the bases loaded. On the next play, an error by Burnham allowed another run to reach home and give New Haven a 2-1 lead.
The River Hawks knotted the game back up at 2-2 in the fifth inning. With one out, Jacobs sliced a fly ball to right field that stayed just inside the foul pole for his second home run of the season. Jacobs finished the game with three hits, three RBI and two runs scored.
Pat Devlin (Tewksbury, Mass.) gave UMass Lowell the lead back in the sixth, hitting an RBI ground out to the shortstop with runners on first and third. Jacobs and Burns then extended the lead to 5-2 with a pair of two-out RBI singles.
New Haven got three runs back in the eighth on a two-run home run from O'Connell. Then, in the ninth, a series of singles and an error allowed one more run to cross home plate, but the Chargers would get no closer than 7-5.
Vinny DePierro (Tewksbury, Mass.) started the second game, pitching more than three innings and allowing two runs. DePierro struggled with control, walking four batters and surrendering two hits.
Bryant Guilmette (Hopkinton, Mass.) and Dallas Nunes (Easton, Mass.) pitched in relief. Guilmette (2-0) picked up the win with four innings of work. The lefty allowed two runs, two hits, three walks and hit two batters. Nunes finished off the last five outs for his fourth save of the season.
The River Hawks will look to stay undefeated in league play as they head to Southern New Hampshire on Sunday for a 2 p.m. contest.
