Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Senior James Katsibouras (Milton, Mass.) hit homeruns in both ends of a split doubleheader as UMass Lowell defeated Nyack College, 10-6, and Mercy College, 11-1, Wednesday afternoon in Fort Pierce, Florida.
 
The River Hawks improved their record to 10-4; Nyack fell to 3-6 and Mercy College dropped to 2-6-1.  UMass Lowell plays Adelphi University, Thursday morning (11:00am), in Boca Raton, Florida.
 
Sophomore Geoff DeGroot (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) banged out seven hits to lead a UMass Lowell lineup that pounded two pitching staffs to the tune of 27 hits on the day.
 
“DeGroot's a really good hitter,” says Coach Ken Harring.  “He sees a lot of pitches, he has quality at bats.  He does what a leadoff man is supposed to do.”
 
DeGroot, back at the top of the batting order, went seven-for-ten on the day.  He drove in two runs and scored five.
 
Katsiroubas homered in each game and had four hits in the nightcap.  He scored three runs and drove in five.
 
The offensive display provided more than enough run support for a tandem of River Hawk starting pitchers who turned in strong performances.
 
Junior righthander Garrett Cole (Bedford, N. H.) started the first game and went seven in his strongest performance of the year.  He allowed eight hits, walked no one and struck out 12.  It was Cole's first win in more than a year after sitting out last season with an injury.
 
“Garrett set the tone for us,” says Harring.  “It's the hardest he's thrown all year and his breaking ball was outstanding.”
 
Sophomore Christian Lavoie (Hopkinton, Mass.) got the call in the second game and he did not disappoint.  The 6' 4” righthander threw a seven-inning complete game allowing one run on nine hits.  He did not surrender a free pass and struck out six.
 
“Lavoie was tremendous,” says Harring.  “He had command of his fastball and that's the best pitch in baseball.”
 
In the first game, UMass Lowell jumped on top in the home half of the second inning.  Sophomore Pat Parker (Merrimack, N. H.) hit a long 2-run home run to left scoring senior Pat Devlin (Tewksbury, Mass.) who'd been hit by a pitch ahead of him.
 
After Nyack College pushed a run across in the top of the fifth inning, making it a 2-1 ballgame, The River Hawks responded with a three run outburst
 
Sophomore catcher Jacob O'Keefe (Wellington, Fla.) started the uprising with a single and out one later scored on a double by DeGroot.  O'Keefe had three hits in the game.
 
Katsiroubas put an exclamation point on the inning with a two-run homer to left.
 
In a game of give and take, the Warriors narrowed the gap in the sixth inning on a Brent James two-run home run, but the River Hawks rebuilt their four run lead with a couple of unearned runs in the seventh inning.
 
UMass Lowell put the game out of reach, scoring three times, in the home half of the eighth inning.  DeGroot and Freshman Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) drove in runs with singles and the River Hawks added another with sophomore Matthew Sanchez (Sunrise, Fla.) crossing the plate on the back end of a double steal. 10-3.
 
Nyack scored three times in the ninth on one hit and the help of three walks and an error.
 
Senior Mike Sloban (Merrimack, Mass.) pitched a scoreless eighth inning allowing a walk while striking out two.
 
Junior Mike Calzetta (Lawrence, Mass.) came in to get the final two outs, one on strikes, after sophomore Matt O'Kipney (Liverpool, N. Y.) ran into a bit of trouble.
 
The River Hawks took command of the second game the first time they came to bat scoring five times in the first inning.  Katsiroubas started the scoring with an RBI single to tie the ballgame at 1-1.  Devlin gave the River hawks a lead they would never relinquish with a bases loaded two-run single and O'Keefe doubled two more in before the inning was over.
 
UMass Lowell added three more with two out in the second.  Katsiroubas hit a long home run to center.  Parker and Sam Johnson added RBI singles.
 
Pitchers regained control of the game for several innings before the River Hawks struck for another run in the sixth inning.  A two out single off the bat of Devlin made it 9-1.
 
UMass Lowell finished out the scoring with two runs in the seventh.  Freshman Louis Tarantino (Nashua, N. H.) drove in the first with a two-out single to right and then came around to score on a Katsiroubas double.
 
After the River Hawks face Adelphi Thursday, they wrap up the Florida sojourn with a split doubleheader against American International College and Hillsdale College on Friday afternoon.
 
UMass Lowell will not play at LeLacheur Park until March 27 when they host Merrimack.