Game 1 (PDF) | Game 2 (PDF) | Harring Interview

STONY BROOK, N.Y. – The UMass Lowell baseball team responded with a 6-3 victory over Stony Brook after dropping the first of a twinbill in walk-off fashion, 2-1, at Joe Nathan Field on Monday.
 
The River Hawks (5-12, 1-2) were strong on the mound in both games despite dropping the opener in the seventh and final inning to the Seawolves (10-11, 4-2) and answered in the second game for their first America East win of 2015.
 
Senior Geoff DeGroot (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) tossed 6.1 shutout innings before exiting with runners on while classmate Kevin Veilleux (Manchester N.H.) held the Seawolves scoreless until the eighth. DeGroot (1-1) matched his career-high of three strikeouts for the third time this season while Veilleux (2-2) gave up four hits but induced a season-high four double plays for the River Hawks defense.
 
In the seven-inning opener, the River Hawks struck first in the top of the fifth after Kelly Rooney (Upton, Mass.) lined a single up the middle before Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) ripped a two-out double to left center to bring him around.
 
DeGroot was relieved with a one run lead but had left runners on first and second for freshman Tim Fallon (Huntingtown, Md.) who threw a wild pitch to advance the runners. Fallon then forced Tobi Handley to ground out to third for the second out before intentionally walking Jack Parenty to load the bases for Rob Chavarria who blooped a 3-2 pitch to center to walk-off with the win.
 
DeGroot had solid defense behind him as the team turned three double plays. The highlight play came in the fifth with runners on first and second and one out when Consolmagno made a sliding catch on a fly ball tailing down the right field line and doubled up the runner at first to end the Seawolves threat.
 
The River Hawks bounced back after the heartbreaker by chasing Seawolves starter Ryley MacEachern with a four run third inning. Mendick opened the frame with a bunt down the third base line before Sanchez advanced him to third on a single into right center. That led to an RBI single through the right side by Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) to score Danny Mendick (Rochester, N.Y.) before a towering shot off the top of the center field wall by Jimmy Ricoy (Lowell, Mass.) to bring two more runs in and push the lead to three.
 
Ricoy capped off the inning when he came home on a wild pitch that Seawolves catcher Cole Peragine threw into left field. Mendick added to the lead in the fifth with an RBI single to plate Consolmagno who had led off the inning with a triple to straightaway center.
 
After a three run eighth inning for the Seawolves, Strom came to shut the door on the Seawolves for his third save of the season.
 
The River Hawks will be back in action on Wednesday in a non-conference affair against Rhode Island at 3 p.m.