Box Score (PDF) | Interview

LOWELL, Mass. – Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) went 3-for-4, and scored two runs including a steal of home, but the UMass Lowell (17-19, 5-10) fell, 4-2, in the series finale against the UAlbany Great Danes (16-20, 5-7) on Sunday afternoon.

"It was just one of those games where an accumulation of our mistakes put us in this position," said Head Coach Ken Harring. "We clean up some the big ones and we're sitting here in a difference situation. We're a young team and it's all part of the process, but in this conference you have to be able to make the routine plays and we just didn't today."
 
Strom got the River Hawks' off to a quick start with the clean steal of home with two outs in the first. The junior led off the frame with a walk and advanced to third on back-to-back grounders to second. On a 2-1 count to Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.), he broke for the plate and beat the throw in.
 
The Great Danes knotted the score at 1-1 in the third and scored three more in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Patrick Lagravinese crossed the plate on a wild pitch for the 2-1 buffer, and the following two runs score on a RBI grounder and single, respectively.
 
In the eighth inning, UMass Lowell got one back with Strom singling to lead off, and coming around to score on a Passatempo RBI single.
 
The River Hawks' defense caught two UAlbany runners down at the plate, one in the eighth with a relay started by Chris Sharpe (Burlington, Mass.), and one in ninth behind Joe Consolmagno's (Worcester, Mass.) strong arm.
 
Marcus Failing faced one batter into the sixth inning, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts to pick up the win.
 
UMass Lowell will head out on the road for a mid-week non-conference clash at Boston College on April 26. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.