Box Score (PDF)BOSTON, Mass. – The UMass Lowell softball team (17-30) dropped a hard-fought, 2-1 decision at Boston University (17-24) in its season finale on Wednesday afternoon.
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The River Hawks and Terriers were tied for three and a half innings before BU sealed the win in the seventh in walk-off fashion.
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"I thought we played hard today," said Head Coach
Danielle Henderson. "Definitely in the circle and on defense we played hard. There were probably some opportunities when we were up at the plate that we could have taken advantage of, but overall we played to win.
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"The team competed in every game this year. The majority of the games could have gone either way, and I think that's definitely something we are going to carry into next year. I feel like I know what we need to tackle now and we can just go right to work on what we need to."
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Four different River Hawks logged one hit apiece in the outing. Sophomore
Erica Armenti (Shrewsbury, Mass.) pitched a complete game, allowing just four hits.
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The Terriers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Gabi Martinez sent a RBI double to the gap in right center to score teammate Moriah Connolly, who had reached on a leadoff walk.
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Senior
Ariana Darcy (Kingston, N.Y.) became the River Hawks' first base runner on the afternoon with a one-out base hit up the middle in the top of the second, although she would be stranded there.
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UMass Lowell turned a clean, 1-6-3 double play for two quick outs in the home half of the inning. The squad carried the momentum into the third, as junior
Brianna Martin (Methuen, Mass.) legged out a bunt single before scoring on a single through the right side by sophomore
Alisha Welch (Langley, British Columbia).
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Both sides were retired in order in their next at-bat, and Armenti left two Terriers on base in the fourth to keep the 1-1 stalemate intact.
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The offensive lull lasted through the sixth. Junior
Emilia Davies (Parker, Colo.) caught a BU runner trying to steal second in the bottom of the inning.
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In the top of the seventh, senior
Abby Jamieson (Billerica, Mass.) roped a double to right center to get things started. She advanced to third on a wild pitch, but the visitors were unable to capitalize on the opportunity.
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The difference-maker came in the final half inning when Emily Felbaum drew a leadoff walk and Kaitlin Sahlinger followed with a RBI double for the 2-1, walk-off decision.
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