Game 1 (PDF) | Game 2 (PDF)

HARTFORD, Conn. – The UMass Lowell baseball team put forth an all around performance at Hartford on Saturday, sweeping a doubleheader at Fiondella Field, 3-0 and 5-4 in extra innings.
 
In the opener, freshman pitcher Andrew Ryan (Rochester, Mass.) threw a five-hit, complete game shutout in the River Hawks 3-0 victory, while Kelly Rooney (Upton, Mass.) knocked in the game-winning run in the top of the ninth to lift the River Hawks (11-21, 7-6) to a 5-4 win. The losses drop the Hawks to 14-24 overall and 6-9 in America East play.
 
"We played great in all facets of the game and had some really timely hits and took advantage of some of their mistakes, but this is a big win for us and for the direction this program is head," said Head Coach Ken Harring.
 
Luke Reynolds (Manchester, N.H.) picked up an RBI and Jimmy Ricoy (Lowell, Mass.) hit a solo home run to help Ryan pick up his first win of the season. Ryan also had a pair of strikeouts and also surrendered a pair of walks.
 
"He's made progress each of his last few starts but today he really grabbed the bull by the horns and beat a good pitcher in Gauthier," said Harring.
 
The River Hawks plated their first run in the second when Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) came around on a single by Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) and an error by the Hawks right fielder.
 
The Hawks threatened in the third, loading the bases on a pair of singles and a walk but Ryan induced a double play that Danny Mendick (Rochester, N.Y.)
 
They would add their second run after Strom singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a Consolmagno sacrifice. Reynolds brought Strom in with a single to center before Ricoy connected on his second home run of the year, a sixth inning solo shot to right center.
 
In the second game, the River Hawks broke open the scoring with a four-run second. Consolmagno got hit by Hawks pitcher Sam McKay and swiped second before stealing third on a walk drawn by Reynolds. Consolmagno scored the first run when Hartford catcher Joe made a throwing error trying to throw Reynolds out at second who advanced to third on the play. Brice Erickson (Leominster, Mass.) singled to center to plate him before Rooney drew another walk. Sanchez delivered a two-out, two-RBI triple to wrap up the scoring until Rooney's clutch hit.
 
Hartford chipped away with three runs in the third before Aaron Wilson's heroics in the seventh. Wilson sent a two-out, 2-2 pitch from Kevin Veilleux (Manchester, N.H.) out to left field to knot the game at four. Consolmagno dugout a single to shortstop to start the ninth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Reynolds and then to third on a grounder to first by Nick Barry (Grafton, Mass.). Rooney beat out a single to short to bring in the game-winning before Christian Lavoie (Hopkinton, Mass.) finished his second inning of work and closed the door. Lavoie improved his record to 2-3 on the year.
 
Of note, Mendick didn't pick up a hit in the opener, snapping his 15-game hitting streak
 
The teams will play the series finale at 1 p.m. tomorrow.