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MIAMI, Fla. – Sophomore Alisha Welch (Langley, British Columbia) went 2-for-5 (.400) at the plate, as the UMass Lowell softball team (9-13) faced stiff competition in a doubleheader at Florida International University (20-11) of Conference USA on Tuesday evening.
 
The River Hawks fell, 9-1, in six innings in game one against the Panthers before facing a 3-0 setback in game two.
 
"As soon as we figure out how to stop extending innings for our opponents and start driving in the runners that we are getting on base, we will be in good shape," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson.
 
Welch was the lone River Hawk to tally multiple hits on the day, while four of her teammates tallied one apiece, including senior Abby Jamieson (Billerica, Mass.), who picked up the squad's lone RBI of the night. All three pitchers on the UMass Lowell staff saw action, while junior Marielle Handley (Durham, Conn.) and sophomore Erica Armenti (Shrewsbury, Mass.) took the decisions.
 
The Panthers made noise in their first at-bat in game one when Stephanie Texeira tripled to right field. The game remained scoreless through two before senior Ally Greene (Tewksbury, Mass.) logged a two-out single in the top of the third and stole second, but was stranded there.
 
FIU broke the game open in the home half of the inning, loading the bases with a pair of hits and a walk to bring up Gabby Spallone, who knocked a liner to center field for the RBI. Aleima Lopez doubled to left center, bringing in two more runs, and Krystal Garcia followed with a two-run home run, giving the Panthers a 6-0 advantage. After the home team added one more run to extend their margin to seven, senior Courtney Lanfranchi (Burlington, Mass.) came out of the bullpen to end the inning.
 
The River Hawks got one back in the top of the fourth, as juniors Alyssa Zinkiewicz (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Emilia Davies (Parker, Colo.) singled, and senior Ariana Darcy (Kingston, N.Y.) walked to load the bases for Jamieson, who also drew a walk to plate a run and make the score 7-1. Both sides were retired in the fifth, however, FIU would add two runs in the sixth to seal the 9-1 decision.
 
In game two, Darcy was the lone base runner for either team in the first two innings, and although Welch singled in UMass Lowell's next trip to the dish, the Panthers got on the board in the home half of the third. Texeira was intentionally walked and stole second, drawing a throw and getting caught in a rundown, allowing teammate Ashley Belans to score.
 
In the next two frames, the River Hawks and the Panthers combined for six runners left on, including three for the visitors in the fifth when Jamieson recorded a leadoff two-bagger, sophomore Mikayla Powlowsky (Hudson, N.Y.) walked and Welch was hit by a pitch.
 
FIU added one run on two hits in its next chance to pull ahead, 2-0. UMass Lowell went three-up and three-down in the sixth before the home team posted one final run and held on for the victory.
 
Finished in Florida for the season, the River Hawks will head back north and visit Stony Brook for its first conference series. The teams will square off in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 21 at 1 p.m. before playing a single game on Sunday, March 22 at 12 p.m.