Box Score (PDF) | Highlights

LOWELL, Mass. – The UMass Lowell (19-31) baseball team used a six-run eighth inning to complete a four-run comeback, and defeat the Siena Saints (20-30), 9-4, in the River Hawks' home finale at LeLacheur Park.
 
"It's nice to always win your last home game," said Head Coach Ken Harring. "After they went out to a 4-0 lead we stuck to our plan, and Strom hit the big home run to get us back in it. Our bullpen did a great job to keep us alive and make plays when we need to, and we caught a break in the eighth. The guys got relaxed and made a couple two-out hits to pile on, it's just one of those things where the experience is going to pay off in the long run."
 
Trailing 4-3 heading into their last six outs, the River Hawks began the big inning with a walk from Ben Prada (Laurel, Md.). After a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt from Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) the runners stood at second and third with no outs.
 
A second error allowed Steve Passatempo (Medford, Mass.) to reach and Prada to tie the game at 4-4. Russ Olive (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Chris Sharpe (Burlington, Mass.) connected on back-to-back singles to score Strom and Passatempo to give the River Hawks a 6-4 buffer.
 
Three batters later Nick Barry (Grafton, Mass.) got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to increase the advantage to 7-4, before Prada batted for the second time in the inning and delivered a two-run single for the 9-4 lead.
 
The Saints took an early 4-0 lead behind two runs in the second and third innings behind six hits.  
 
Ian Strom (Hopedale, Mass.) cut the deficit in half with one swing of the bat, sending his second home run of the year off the old video board in left field. Ben Prada (Laurel, Md.) scored on the blast after singling with one out.
 
In his first career start for UMass Lowell, Kendall Pomeroy (Shrewsbury, Mass.) tied his career high with five strikeouts, and did not issue a walk in his five innings.
 
Both teams were held off the scoreboard until Oscar Marchena's (Miami, Fla.) RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Passatempo beat the relay home to make it a one-run game.
 
Passatempo singled with one out in the frame, and moved to second on a Sharpe infield single to third. On a 0-1 count, Marchena chopped a single through the left side to plate the first baseman.
 
Collin Duffley (Manchester, N.H.) struck out a career-high four batters in two innings of shutout ball. Nick Rand (Hyde Park, N.Y.) added two strikeouts and picked up his second win of the season. River Hawk pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts in eight innings. Prada finished the afternoon going 3-for-4 with two RBiI, and scored twice.
 
UMass Lowell heads out on the road to wrap up the 2016 campaign with a three-game set against the Monmouth Hawks from May 20-21.