Box Score
Rookie Jimmy Ricoy (Lowell, Mass.) batted 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored, but it wasn't enough as UMass Lowell baseball fell in 10 innings at Merrimack College, 10-8, on Tuesday evening.

The narrow loss drops the River Hawks to 20-14-1 overall on the season, 9-8-1 in the Northeast-10 and 4-6 in the Northeast Division. The Warriors vaulted to 17-18 on the year, 8-10 in the NE-10 and 4-6 in the Northeast Division. With just over two and a half weeks remaining in the regular season, UMass Lowell falls into a three-way tie for fifth in the division—one spot out of the NE-10 playoffs.

The Warriors scored the game's opening run in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead over UMass Lowell. With two outs and a runner on third, Joe Mantoni (Northbridge, Mass.) hit a triple into the right-center alley.

The River Hawks countered in the top of the second, tying the game at 1-1. Freshman Jimmy Ricoy (Lowell, Mass.) singled to start the inning and advanced to third on a base hit by classmate Matthew Sanchez (Sunrise, Fla.). With two runners on, fellow rookie Jacob O'Keefe (Wellington, Fla.) singled to left field to bring home Ricoy.

What started as a low scoring affair took a big turn in the fourth as the Warriors hung four runs on the scoreboard. Among the key hits, Alex Ciullo (Fall River, Mass.) and Eddie Newton (North Billerica, Mass.) tallied RBI singles.

UMass Lowell answered back in the fifth with four runs of its own to tie the game again at 5-5. Senior Cam Kneeland (Rowley, Mass.) rifled an RBI single through the left side to get things going, then classmate Mark Sanborn (Hopkinton, Mass.) hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring home rookie Geoff DeGroot (Wesley Chapel, Fla.). Capping off the big inning, Ricoy clubbed a two-run double to right field, scoring both Kneeland and junior James Katsiroubas (Milton, Mass.).

The see-saw action continued as each team posted two more runs by the seventh inning. Merrimack's Newton hit a two-run single in the fifth, while UMass Lowell's Matt Jacobs (Hudson, Mass.) had an RBI ground out in the sixth and Katsiroubas homered in the seventh.

The River Hawks looked poised to break the game open in the eighth after loading the bases with one out, but the potential fizzled with a pop up and line out.

Merrimack jumped on the failed momentum swing in the bottom of the eighth, scoring on a wild pitch to nab an 8-7 lead.

Facing a grim fate in the ninth, UMass Lowell rallied once more to tie the game. With one out, junior Zach Berger (Coral Gables, Fla.) smacked a solo home run to center field to keep the River Hawks in the game.

Despite the comeback, UMass Lowell ultimately fell in the 10th as Mantoni hit a two-run home run to left-center to end the game.

River Hawk starting pitcher Bryant Guilmette (Hopkinton, Mass.) lasted 3.1 innings on the mount. The southpaw allowed seven hits, four earned runs and two walks before giving way to reliever Mike Sloban (Merrimac, Mass.). Sloban tossed the next 4.2 innings, allowed five hits, three runs and struck out two. Kneeland threw the ninth and tenth, allowing three hits and two runs.

UMass Lowell will take the next few days off as they prepare to welcome Saint Michael's to LeLacheur Park this weekend. The River Hawks host the Purple Knights for a double-header at 1 p.m. on Saturday and a single game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.