Box Score (PDF) | Highlights

LOWELL, Mass. – In the first meeting between the two programs, the UMass Lowell (18-27) baseball team ended its skid by defeating the Massachusetts Minutemen, 7-3, Wednesday afternoon at LeLacheur Park.
 
Ricky Constant (Nashua, N.H.) earned his first career win, striking out a career-high five batters and allowing one run over five innings.
 
"It was a good complete win," said Head Coach Ken Harring. "Ricky Constant got his first collegiate win and pitched really well, I couldn't be happier for him. To play eight freshmen in a DI game and play how well we did, it's been a long time coming. We've never doubted the guys, we just got to stay with the process, and it was just a good, good win."
 
A pair of sacrifice flies in the bottom of the first gave the River Hawks and Constant a quick 2-0 lead. Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) led off the frame with a double and stole third, before Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) drove him in. Joe Consolmagno (Worcester, Mass.) walked and advanced to third on a Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.) single, and came around to score on Chris Sharpe's (Burlington, Mass.) sac fly to left.
 
Consolmagno became the program's all-time leader in triples, when he led off the third with his 14th career triple. On the next pitch, he came to score on Passatempo's second sac fly of the afternoon.
 
The Minutemen broke through in the top of the fifth on a RBI double from Jon Avallone to score Ryan Lever. Avallone tried to stretch it into a triple but was thrown out on relay started by Consolmagno.
 
In the fifth inning, Strom delivered the first UMass Lowell RBI base hit of the day, singling to left to score Ben Prada (Laurel, Md.) Prada singled to begin the inning and stood at third after stealing second and advancing on the catcher's throwing error. Strom later scored in the inning following back-to-back wild pitches, to extend the buffer to 5-1.
 
Massachusetts scored two in the top of the sixth off Kendall Pomeroy (Shrewsbury, Mass.) on a RBI triple to center and a ground out.
 
Prada stole a personal-best three bases in the contest, and went 3-for-4. Olive and Strom both recorded two hits, as well. The duo of Strom and Consolmagno scored four of UMass Lowell's runs, each crossing the plate twice.
 
All of the Minutemen's five hits came from five different batters, but Dylan Morris and Mike Hart each had one hit and scored once.
 
The River Hawks wrap up their America East slate with three games at Hartford. The teams play a doubleheader on Friday and a single game on Saturday.