The UMass Lowell softball team was topped in a pair by Central Connecticut State on Thursday, getting edged 2-0 in the opener, and 6-1 in extra innings in the late game at River View Field.
 
Having dropped a doubleheader two weeks ago in New Britain, the River Hawks were swept in the four game season series by the Blue Devils, and stand at 9-31 overall and 1-10 in the America East Conference. CCSU ups their record to 25-14 overall and 9-5 in the Patriot League.
 
"It gets lost in translation that Marielle pitched really well in game one, and we had a couple shots to try to punch through," said Head Coach Sean Cotter. "Ramirez in game two was real good, obviously taking a shutout to the eighth inning, we were real happy with that. Tough way to lose in extra's but you have to score runs to win and we just weren't up to the challenge."
 
The days opening game was dominated by the pitchers with the River Hawks Marielle Handley (Durham, Conn.), and Blue Devils Laura Messina slugging it out. Handley surrendered two runs on nine hits and struck out five in the loss, while Messina allowed a hit and struck out 11.
 
Handley falls to 5-14 on the season while Messina picks up her 20^th win.
 
The nightcap was tense as the teams trudged through seven scoreless innings before the Blue Devils broke the game open with six runs in the top of the eighth. Freshman pitcher Lauren Ramirez (Dracut, Mass.) struck out a season-high 10 batters, but struggled in the final three innings as the Blue Devils began generating scoring opportunities.
 
"She gave us an opportunity to win the ballgame, and gave us everything she had," said Cotter. "She kept the walks to a minimum until the end and she deserved better."
 
Ramirez got out of a bases loaded jam in the sixth inning, battling CCSU's Alicia Keough in a nine-pitch at-bat that ended with Keough striking out swinging. Ramirez got the next batter, Hannah Cooper, to ground out to short to end the threat.
 
The River Hawks got one back, scoring in the bottom of the eighth when Tori Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) came in on a wild pitch two batters after doubling to right field.
 
UMass Lowell will play the next six games on the road, starting with a three-game series against Albany in a twinbill Saturday at 1 and 3 p.m. and the series finale Sunday at noon.