Game 1 Box (PDF) | Game 2 Box (PDF) | Highlights

LOWELL, Mass. – Ben Prada (Laurel, Md.) delivered a walk off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to capture game two, 6-5, as the UMass Lowell (10-12, 1-4) split a conference doubleheader with the Hartford Hawks (17-6, 4-2), on Friday night.
 
"Game one was a tough way to lose, just came up a bit short in the end and couldn't finish the task," said Head Coach Ken Harring. "To find ourselves down 5-0 in game two and pull out the comeback showed a lot of heart from our guys. That's the beauty of baseball, there's no clock and the game isn't over until the final out. This is a process, we have a lot of young guys playing and to lose game one, we could have just folded the tents in game two, and I give the guys all the credit in the world to stick with it and battle back.
 
With two on and one out in the ninth, Prada shot a single to right to score Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.) from second and send the dugout into a celebration at second base, as the River Hawks completed the five-run comeback.
 
The River Hawks entered the seventh inning trailing 5-0 and down to their last three outs, before a five-run rally forced the game to extras. With one out in the frame, Chris Sharpe (Burlington, Mass.) singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.) walked and Zack Tower (Auburn, Mass.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
 
Nick Barry (Grafton, Mass.) broke up the shutout with a bloop single to right, and Prada singled to plate Olive. Tower trimmed the deficit to 5-3 coming to score on a wild pitch, and Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) brought the River Hawks all the way back with a two-run single.
 
The Hawks broke up a scoreless contest with a solo shot off the bat of Aaron Wilson in the sixth, and added four runs in the top of seventh for the 5-0 buffer.
 
Kendall Pomeroy (Shrewsbury, Mass.) improved to 3-0 on the season, and Barry provided a team-high three hits. Consolmagno and Prada each had two RBI, with Tower crossing the plate twice.
 
In game one, the Hawks scored three runs in the ninth to escape 4-3, the game-tying and winning runs coming with two outs. With one out, Evan Ostberg reached on a fielder's choice to score Dalton Ruch, and David MacKinnon crossed the plate after an error.
 
The River Hawks started off the game strong with two quick runs in the bottom of the first off a sacrifice fly to the second baseman from Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.). Standing on third, Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) tagged up immediately and as the throw home went into the visitor dugout, Oscar Marchena (Miami, Fla.) scored from second.
 
Andy Savard (Tyngsboro, Mass.) led off the second with a double and came around to score when Marchena beat out a double play to push the lead the 3-0.
 
Before the decisive ninth inning, Hartford scored one unearned run in the sixth to cut the deficit to 3-1.
 
Andrew Ryan (Rochester, Mass.) pitched seven innings, allowing one unearned run and striking out five. Sam McKay picked up the win for the guests, with Collin Ferguson recording the save.
 
Both teams will take the field for the rubber game of the three-game series at 2 p.m. tomorrow at LeLacheur Park.