Box Score Freshman P Courtney Lanfranchi (Burlington, Mass.) earned her second shutout of the year and junior 2B Krista MacKenzie (Ipswich, Mass.) batted 3 for 7 with two RBI as UMass Lowell split a pair of non-conference softball games against Molloy College Wednesday morning in Clermont, Fla.

Molloy won the opener, 4-3, on an 11^th inning RBI single while UMass Lowell took the nightcap, 4-0, behind a five-hitter by Lanfranchi.

UMass Lowell, which is currently receiving votes in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II poll, currently stands at 10-4 overall – its best start since the 2003 season. The River Hawks return to action Friday against Stonehill at 9:00 a.m.
Molloy is 2-5.

In the opener, freshman Ally Greene (Tewksbury, Mass.) and senior P Elyssa Boris (Gardner, Mass.) each had RBI singles in the 10^th inning to give UMass Lowell a 3-1 lead.

The Lions, however, answered with two runs in the bottom half behind an RBI single from junior P Megan Butterworth and an RBI single from junior pinch hitter Kelley Jansen. Jansen came on to relieve Butterworth in the 11^th inning where she retired all three River Hawk batters.

With runners on first and third, freshman RF Victoria Gunnels singled to right field to score freshman CF Brianne Catalano for the win.

Boris took the loss for UMass Lowell as she allowed nine hits, two earned runs and two walks while striking out three to slip to 7-2. Jansen, who improved to 1-3 with one inning's work, replaced Butterworth who scattered six hits, four walks and one earned run while striking out eight.

Boris led the UMass Lowell bats, hitting 2 for 5 with an RBI. Senior 3B Josette Cavallaro led Molloy, hitting 2 for 3 with a run.

In the nightcap, Lanfranchi earned her second shutout in three appearances, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out five to improve to 3-2.

Senior SS Meagan Guy (Berlin, Conn.) batted 2 for 3 with one RBI while MacKenzie went 2 for 4 with one RBI. Senior RF Caelyn Ford (Dracut, Mass.) batted 2 for 3 with a run.

Jansen took the loss (1-4) for Molloy, surrendering nine hits, two earned runs and no walks while striking out 11.Senior LF Megan Hutnick batted 2 for 3 to lead Molloy.

UMass Lowell scored three runs in the second inning when Ford singled and later scored on a fielder's choice. Guy and MacKenzie followed with RBI singles.

The River Hawks added one more in the sixth behind a double by junior 1B Bri Mahoney (Billerica, Mass.), who later scored on a double steal with Guy.