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MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – Freshman Brianna West (Fairfield, Conn.) recorded one hit in each game for a .500 batting average, as the UMass Lowell softball team dropped a pair of hard-fought, one-run decisions on Day One of the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational in Florida on Friday.
 
Both games came down the final half inning for the River Hawks. The team lost game one, 4-3, against the tournament host Eastern Michigan (1-5), as well as falling in game two, 2-1, to Marist (1-0).
 
"We played well on defense and in the circle today," said Head Coach Danielle Henderson. "Both games were close and it felt like they both came down to one or two pitches. We battled at the plate, and if we can string some hits together, we will be in good shape tomorrow."
 
Sophomore Samantha McQueen (Ewing, N.J.) was the only other River Hawk to log two hits on the day (.333). Senior Alyssa Zinkiewicz (Massapequa, N.Y.) logged one home run and two RBI in the squad's season opener against EMU. Sophomore Tori Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) registered the only other RBI for UMass Lowell. Senior pitcher Marielle Handley went the distance in the circle in game one with six strike outs and a pair of walks. Junior Lauren Ramirez (Dracut, Mass.), who got the start in game two, fanned two batters, while freshman Sydney Wash (Suffolk, Va.) took the decision after coming in to throw the last inning and a third.
 
Junior Alisha Welch (Langley, British Columbia) recorded the River Hawks' first hit of the season when she led off in the top of the first in game one. She would eventually steal second, but was stranded there. UMass Lowell showed off its defense in the home half of the inning, using a strong relay that began with sophomore Madison Alcorn (Lowell, Mass.) in left field to cut an Eagle runner down at the plate and keep the game knotted at 0-0.
 
Eastern Michigan got on the board in the bottom of the second thanks to a pair of doubles. However, the difference did not last long, as West reached on an error to start off the third before scoring on a two-bagger by T. Alcorn to make the score, 1-1.
 
Both sides went three-up and three-down in their next at bat, and although the Eagles threatened in the bottom of the fourth with two outs, Handley would force a pop up to leave two runners on and keep the stalemate intact.
 
In the top of the sixth, a two-run home run by Zinkiewicz gave the River Hawks the 3-1 advantage. EMU was able to scratch across one run on four hits in the bottom of the sixth, though, cutting the lead to just one. The Eagles then plated two in the bottom of the seventh, including the game-winner on a walk-off single through the left side by Abby Davidson, to steal the 4-3 comeback victory.
 
In game two, the River Hawks held Marist to just one base runner in its first at bat before jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. Welch and T. Alcorn drew back-to-back walks, and a steal by T. Alcorn caused throwing errors that allowed Welch to score.
 
The teams combined for eight runners left on base in the next four innings. Marist erased the difference in the top of the sixth on a solo homer by Rebecca Freeman, tying the score at 1-1.
 
The go-ahead run crossed the dish for the Red Foxes in the top of the seventh when Maureen Duddy recorded a bunt single, stole second and third, and scored on an error. The River Hawks made things interesting in their final at bat, as Barker and T. Alcorn walked, and West singled to load the bases with two outs. Despite the effort, Marist was able to get the final out to secure the 2-1 decision.
 
The River Hawks will play two more games at the EMU Invite tomorrow, Saturday, February 20. The squad will take on Manhattan at 1:30 p.m. before squaring off against Siena at 4 p.m.