Box Score
LOWELL, Mass. – A two out single by freshman Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) in the bottom of the ninth lifted the River Hawks to 3-2 win over Hartford University at LeLacheur Park in Lowell, Mass. on Sunday afternoon.
 
UMass Lowell, with the victory, finishes off its first season of America East Conference play with a 10-10 record, and improves to 19-20 overall. Hartford, in a battle with Stony Brook for first place, fell to 29-18 / 15-5, a game behind the Seawolves. Hartford and Stony Brook play a three-game series next weekend in Hartford, Conn.
 
"Being Senior Day, Mac Connor Day, Mother's Day to come out with a win like that is pretty special win," said UMass Lowell Head Coach Ken Harring. "Christian Lavoie pitched his butt off and we got some timely hits."
 
The River Hawks scored in the first to grab a 1-0 lead. Junior Danny Mendick (Rochester, N.Y.) hit a RBI single down the right field line to score sophomore Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) who placed a bloop triple just inside the right field foul line. Anymore first inning scoring was snuffed out when junior Matthew Sanchez (Sunrise, Fla.) hit in to an inning ending double plays.
 
Hartford tied the game in top of the fourth when the Hawks' top hitter, James Alfonso hit his fifth home run of the season off the right field score board to knot the score at one. That was the Hawks second homerun of the weekend.
 
In the bottom of the seventh the River Hawks managed to retake the lead after back-to back wild pitches by Hawk's starter Kyle Gauthier. With runners on second and third, Gauthier threw a pitch in the dirt, which allowed Strom to score easily to take the 2-1 lead. Gauthier finished the day going seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out four.    
 
Senior Nick Boutoures (Wilmington, Mass.) came in the ninth inning to try to close the door, but the Hawks had some two out magic left in their bats. Hartford scored 13 of its 15 runs this weekend with two outs. First baseman Brady Sheetz hit 0-1 pitch to right center to score Ryan Lukach, who reached on a walk and moved into scoring position at second with a stolen base, to tie the game at two.   
 
Mendick led off the ninth getting hit by a pitch, but two quick outs later and it looked as though the game was going to extra innings. Mendick, then, stole second without a throw. Strom followed with a dying quail to down the line in short right.  The ball dropped into a no-man's land between three Hartford fielders, bloop single to score Mendick from second; a Mother's Day walk-off win sending the River Hawk faithful home with a dramatic 3-2 win.
 
Boutoures picked up his first win of the season. UMass Lowell starter junior Christian Lavoie (Hopkinton, Mass.) pitched eight strong innings allowing just a lone run, on five hits and six strikeouts but got a no-decision. Lavoie threw 94 total pitches, 65 for strikes.
 
In its inaugural Division I season the River Hawks have played 15 one run games. They have won five of those, three of their last four one run game.  
 
The River Hawks return to action on Tuesday when they travel down to play at Northeastern at 1:00 p.m.