Box Score (PDF) | Highlights

LOWELL, Mass. – Senior Geoff DeGroot (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) helped his own cause on the hill with a two-RBI single to break a three-all tie, part of a five-run fifth inning as the UMass Lowell baseball team took the series from UMBC with a 10-5 victory at LeLacheur Park on Sunday afternoon.
 
"We did everything well today," said Head Coach Ken Harring. "Our pitchers gave us a chance to win and we responded early with two runs in the first. It shows the character and the mental toughness of these guys I thought it was a complete team effort."
 
The River Hawks (9-19, 5-6) took two of three from the Retrievers (16-15, 5-7) behind a strong performance on the mound from DeGroot (2-2) who settled down after giving up a run in the first. He gave up three runs on five hits over five innings while striking out four.
 
"Good pitchers win when they don't have their best stuff and he showed that today," said Harring. "His velocity made up for a few things."
 
Retrievers' third baseman Kevin Lachance hit a triple on DeGroot's first pitch of the afternoon and scored on a ground out during the next at bat.
 
The River Hawks jumped on UMBC starter Connor Staskey with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) singled on a dribbler to second before a single through the right side by Danny Mendick (Rochester, N.Y.), and a walk by Matthew Sanchez (Sunrise, Fla.) loaded the bases. Luke Reynolds (Manchester, N.H.) would plate Consolmagno and Mendick. Sanchez would score the River Hawks' third run when Nick Barry (Grafton, Mass.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
 
DeGroot delivered the go-ahead hit with two outs in the fifth, following a Barry hit by pitch and a Kelly Rooney (Upton, Mass.) infield single to shortstop that he hustled out. Consolmagno, Mendick and Sanchez followed suit with two out RBI's.
 
DeGroot was relieved by Christian Lavoie (Hopkinton, Mass.) who picked up his first save of the season.
 
The River Hawks would add a run in the sixth and seventh on a double from Rooney and single from Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.).
 
UMass Lowell returns to the diamond at LeLacheur Park on Tuesday in single game against Brown at 7 p.m.