April 9, 2011

Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2

UMass Lowell swept the conference-best New Haven Chargers in a doubleheader on River View Field Saturday afternoon. The River Hawks' surging offense was led by six RBI from junior C Lindsi Panarelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.), while classmate P Elyssa Boris (Gardner, Mass.) went 5-6 from the plate and pitched all but one inning during the two-game stretch.

With the sweep, UMass Lowell improves to 18-12 on the year and evens its conference record to 4-4, while New Haven falls to 18-9 on the year and 8-4 in NE-10 play.

The River Hawks earned a decisive, 12-3 victory in just five innings against the Chargers in the first game of the afternoon before following up with another five inning win, 8-0, in the second game.

In the first game, UMass Lowell started the first by loading the bases with no outs after leadoff hitter Krista MacKenzie (Ipswich, Mass.) and Heather Ross (Waltham, Mass.) started the inning with hits. A fielder's choice put Boris on first to load the bases and MacKenzie's speed saw her reach home before the New Haven shortstop could throw her out after Katie Mazure (Burlington, Mass.) hit a hard ball into the infield. The bases remained loaded for junior Caelyn Ford (Dracut, Mass.), who brought home Ross on a hit through the left side. The inning was capped by an opposite field grand slam from Panarelli to make it 6-0 River Hawks before a single out was recorded.

Ross followed up in the second with a solo shot, her fourth of the year.

In the third, Meagan Guy (Berlin, Conn.) hit a long double to the left field corner to bring home Bri Mahoney (Billerica, Mass.) from second base. The inning continued as MacKenzie reached on an error and after advancing to second, was hit to third by Ross before stealing home. With Ross on second, Boris blasted her 23rd career home run and ninth of the year to give UMass Lowell a 12-1 lead by the end of the third inning.

New Haven's 2B, Courtney Garland, responded with a two-run blast in the top of the fourth, cutting the River Hawk lead back down to single digits, 12-3, but the Chargers were unable to get any closer before game's end.

Ross finished the game 3-4 from the plate and scored three times, while Boris went 2-3 with a pair of RBI and runs scored. Mahoney also went 2-3 in the game.

Boris pitched four innings, allowing three runs, striking out three, before being relieved by Rachel Schafler (Floral Park, N.Y.), who pitched one scoreless inning. New Haven's Alana Wesche picked up the loss after going 2 2/3 innings, allowing all 12 runs on 10 hits. She was relieved by Kelsey Malloy, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

In the second game of the afternoon, New Haven had runners on second and third with just one out in the top of the second, but Boris threw a strikeout to get the second run of the inning before LF Hilary Hopkins (San Diego, Calif.) robbed the Chargers of a pair of runs, hustling across left field to make a stab at a long line drive to end the inning and strand the runners.

In the bottom of the third, Panarelli once again stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and she delivered. With a single straight up the middle, she brought home two runs and cushioned the River Hawks' lead to three by the end of the inning.

Boris led off the fifth with a double to center before freshman Ali Ferraro (Kingston, N.Y.) was brought in to run the bases for her. Ferraro advanced on a wild pitch and crossed the plate after on an RBI single by Mazure, making it a 4-0 ballgame. Ford followed up with a single through the right side and Panarelli loaded the bases on a walk. Mahoney reached second after hitting a fielder's choice and advancing on the throw. Her contact scored both Ford and Mazure. Leading 6-0, Ashley Daniels (Medford, Mass.) grounded out to the 2B but not before Mahoney and Panarelli's head's up base running allowed them to score and end the game with the eight-run advantage.

Boris picked up her 12th win of the year, pitching the complete game shutout and allowing just two hits in the outing. She struck out three. New Haven's Micah Stonesifer fell to 8-5 with the loss, allowing eight runs on 11 hits.

Next up, the River Hawks will host the Southern Connecticut Owls for a conference doubleheader beginning at noon tomorrow on River View Field.