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CLERMONT, Fla. – Seniors Ally Greene (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Melissa King (Stamford, Conn.) each went 2-4 (.500) at the plate to help lead the UMass Lowell softball team (4-2) to a pair of wins on the first day of the Dot Richardson Invitational in Clermont.
 
The River Hawks used a six-run rally in the seventh inning of game one to earn a 9-5, comeback victory against the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (4-3) before picking up a 3-2 decision against Middle Tennessee (3-3) later in the afternoon.
 
"The first game was a great comeback effort for this team," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "Right now, we are playing well and have a lot of fight. This team has been fun to watch so far."
 
Greene, along with classmate Abby Jamieson (Billerica, Mass.), paced the squad with two RBI each. Jamieson, juniors Alyssa Zinkiewicz (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Brianna Martin (Methuen, Mass.), and senior Ariana Darcy (Kingston, N.Y.) recorded multiple hits on the day, as well. Junior Marielle Handley (Durham, Conn.) and sophomore Erica Armenti (Shrewsbury, Mass.) went the distance in the circle in game one and two, respectively, combining for five strikeouts.
 
In game one, the Mocs got on the board in the bottom of the first, when Alyssa Taylor doubled home Sam Taylor. Chattanooga added two more in the third frame on a two-run home run to take a 3-0 advantage.
 
The River Hawks got on the board in the fourth, as Darcy logged a two-bagger with two outs to keep the inning alive before scoring on an error. UTC got the run back quickly on a sacrifice fly in the home half of the inning, making the score 4-1.
 
UMass Lowell cut the deficit to just one with one run in each of its next two at-bats. Melissa King (Stamford, Conn.) singled home Emilia Davies (Parker, Colo.) in the fifth, and Alisha Welch (Langley, British Columbia) scored on a sacrifice fly by Emily O'Brien (Salem, N.H.) in the sixth.
 
Chattanooga scored its final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on a RBI double. The River Hawks continued to battle, however, and started a six-run rally in the seventh when Darcy connected on a two-out RBI single. Jamieson followed with a two-RBI hit, giving the team its first lead of the outing. Greene would extend margin to 8-5 on a triple to right field before scoring on an UTC miscue.
 
Chattanooga threatened in its final at-bat, loading the bases, but Handley was able to seal the 9-5 win.
 
In game two, the bats for both UMass Lowell and Middle Tennessee were quiet through the first two innings. The Blue Raiders tallied two runs on three hits, including a two-bagger, in the top of the third to pull ahead.
 
The lead was short lived, though, as the River Hawks responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Zinkiewicz sent a RBI single to the grass to plate the team's first run before two batters crossed the dish on a hit by Welch.
 
The 3-2 margin would remain intact throughout the remainder of the game, thanks to strong defense on both sides. The teams combined for just three runners left on in the final innings, allowing UMass Lowell to secure the decision.
 
The River Hawks will play two more games in Clermont tomorrow, Saturday, February 14, taking on the University of Missouri – Kansas City at 11 a.m. and South Dakota State University at 1:30 p.m.